This is a one page summary.
The full text is on our website at www.neoch.org
under solutions, civil rights.
1.
This law if passed by Cleveland City Council would apply to
every publicly funded shelter within the City of Cleveland (all but
City Mission and St. Hermans).
2.
Shelters must treat people with respect, and keep their
information confidential. Shelters must have a grievance process that
involves an outside entity within City Government to resolve issues.
Shelters must have a client advocate not employed by the
shelter who can help.
3.
There would be specific rules for shelters that house children
including rules for getting children into school and a prevention
against breaking up families.
4.
There must be a posting outlining a client’s rights and the
services available to homeless people in each shelter.
5.
There would be rules for admittance and discharge from the
shelters posted in every shelter near the front door. There
should be assistance for obtaining identification at each shelter, and
the opportunity to get a voice mail box.
The shelter standards would require at least one shelter in the
community for those who are not sober or who are actively using and
strict rules for any discharge from a shelter.
6.
The shelters should have an infectious disease policy, a policy
for storing medicine, and access to health care professionals on a
regular basis.
7.
Shelters should develop policies for the care of senior
citizens as well as those with a chronic health conditions.
8.
Shelters should serve a balanced meal and provide nutrition
help for those with specific dietary needs (ex: diabetes).
9.
Every resident should get a hygiene kit and clean linens.
10.
The shelters should develop a policy for access to the
telephone, and each agency should provide access to lockers.
11.
The shelters should have a policy to keep every resident safe
from violence, and that policy should be approved on a yearly basis by
the Homeless Congress.
12.
Staff of the shelters should get CPR and basic health training,
and those trainings should be offered to homeless people.
13.
Residents should have a stability plan developed within the
first two weeks that involves securing income, housing, and access to
health care.
14.
Shelters should have a posted policy with regard to
distribution of bus passes, and they should make some attempt to help
their residents find transportation to health care and employment
opportunities.
15.
Shelters should divide into smaller communities so that
homeless people do not get lost in the system.
Every person is different and has individual needs that the
shelter should try to meet.
16.
Every shelter should have a plan for the distribution of mail
to people without addresses.
17.
Shelters should help with establishing savings plans and
re-establishing bank accounts.
18.
Shelter staff should receive sensitivity training including
mediation training. All volunteers are encouraged to attend these
trainings. Shelter staff
should be required to have random drug tests and pre-employment
background checks.
19.
All shelters must have a plan for going out of business in a
limited period of time so that their services are no longer necessary.
This plan should be published on a yearly basis demonstrating
progress toward closing all the shelters.
Petition
in Support of Shelter Standards in Cleveland
Final
Shelter Standards
Shelter
standards sign on for agencies
City
Council Candidates Support Regulatory Shelters
