The Henderson County Homeless Coalition want to hire a case manager who would get out in the community and work in a more hands-on manner to help those who are homeless or are teetering on the edge of becoming homeless.
For that to occur, though, the local advocacy group will need funding to pay the salary of a case manager, which was what Britney Smith, a member of the coalition’s board, was trying to accomplish at Tuesday’s Henderson Fiscal Court and Henderson City Commission meetings.
Smith asked both bodies for $20,000 each, which would pay the case manager’s $35,000 salary and additional administrative expenses.
Smith described the job as a “boots on the ground” position. She said the case manager would go out to meet those in the community with the end goal of helping that person or family find “safe, healthy, affordable housing.” Along the way, the case manager would also need to complete all the required paperwork, make service referrals and provide ongoing case management and client support, according to a HCHC document.
The case manager would work through the established Daniel Pitino Shelter in Owensboro, from where he or she would receive training. Though the case manager would effectively work under the guidance of the Daniel Pitino Shelter, he or she would receive payment from local money and regularly report to both the city and county governments, as well as the homeless coalition.
Securing funding from the Fiscal Court centered around providing money from opioid settlement funds funneled down from the state government.
County Attorney Steve Gold said allocations from opioid settlement funds must, by statute, fall under specific purposes.
To pass muster, Gold said, the use of the funding must be focused on opioid addiction. He said there are 29 different approved uses of funding from the opioid abatement trust fund and detailing how the case manager would fall under one or more of these uses is key to getting the funding.
On the city side, Finance Director Chelsea Mills has input an $18,000 placeholder in the special projects section of the city’s fiscal year 2024-25 budget, which will receive a first reading June 4.
The city commission approved funding by a 5-0 vote, contingent upon the county also approving funding and having in place a funding agreement with the county.
United Way of Henderson County Executive Director Melissa Clements, who is also a member of the homeless coalition, said discussions about the need for a case manager started about two years ago.
City commissioners expressed support for the case manager as well as finding ways to deal with the issue.
“(You’d) kid yourself to think that it’s not something prevalent in our community,” said Commissioner Nick Whitt. “I know every community across the country is working hard to address the issue. I’m glad we’re trying to find solutions that show some humility and understanding and tries to help them get forward in life.”
