Healthy Community Collaborative Grant Program

The Healthy Community Collaborative (HCC) grant program builds communities and collaboratives to support the recovery and housing stability of persons experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. HCC collaboratively brings together the public and private sectors to achieve the goals of the grant program. Specifically, the intent of HCC grant funding is to:

  • Provide services that address homelessness, such as coordinated intake, basic needs support, behavioral health services, and housing services.
  • Develop and maintain community partnerships to leverage resources and coordinate case management and service delivery.
  • Develop strategies that build community infrastructure for collaboration, such as centralized staffing and resources, shared planning and measurement strategies, and centralized client data systems.

HCC Rural Expansion

Senate Bill (S.B.) 1849, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, provided the basis for expanding the HCC program into less dense populated areas of the state. This shifted the geographic priority of the program by giving preference to counties with less than 100,000 inhabitants. New legislation also required HCC sites to work with local law enforcement to divert HCC eligible people from correctional facilities (e.g., jails) to treatment facilities or other supports. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) completed procurements for funding rural areas in fiscal year 2019.

Current HCCs:

  • North Texas Behavioral Authority (Hunt and Navarro Counties)
  • Haven for Hope (Bexar County)
  • Integral Care (Travis County)
  • My Health My Resources of Tarrant County (Tarrant County)
  • The Harris Center (Harris County)
  • Crisis Center of Comal County (Comal and Guadalupe Counties)
  • Andrews Center (Henderson, Rains, Smith, Van Zandt, and Wood Counties)

Training

HCC providers are skilled in understanding how to apply a Housing First approach to their programming. Housing First ensures HCC programming is low-demand on the participant (i.e., voluntary) and low barrier (e.g., not requiring sobriety to access). In addition, HCC staff receive training and supervision in harm reduction, motivational interviewing, employment support, peer support and permanent supportive housing. These evidence-based approaches provide the tools needed to better serve people experiencing homelessness.

Services Provided

HCC funding supports activities which address homelessness, such as:

  • Coordinated assessments
  • Emergency shelter
  • Shelter diversion
  • Criminal justice services
  • Mental health crisis services
  • Integrated medical services
  • Housing case management
  • Rental assistance
  • Minor home renovation
  • Education
  • Job training
  • Employment services
  • Peer services
  • Family services
  • Clothing, grooming services, and hygiene products

Additionally, HCC grant funds may be directed towards supporting community partnerships to:

  • Leverage resources
  • Coordinate service delivery
  • Address policy and social inequities

Grantees and Program Performance

Agency staff utilize data-driven program performance measurement and reporting processes to administer each matching grant program. Performance data for each individual grant-funded project is submitted quarterly by grantees. Agency staff collect and analyze this data to create and disseminate reports, including annual report cards that list current grantees:

Independent Evaluator

Per Texas Government Code, Section 539.006 requirements, HHSC contracts with an independent third-party to verify whether HCC grantees meet outcome measures provided under Section 539.005. HHSC contracts with the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health (TIEMH) to perform the third-party function. Read the TIEMH reports on HCC grantee performance.

Grantee Eligibility

Organizations eligible for HCC funding include local mental health authorities, local behavioral health authorities, non-profit organizations, educational institutions and governmental entities selected based on set criteria.

Match Requirements

HCC awards depend on matching funds, which can include cash or in-kind contributions from any person but must not include money from state or federal funds. The match must equal:

  • 100 percent of the grant amount if the HCC program is in a county with a population of 250,000 or more.
  • 25 percent of the grant amount if the HCC program is in a county with a population of less than 250,000.

Legislative Statute and Enabling Legislation

Rule References

HCC providers comply with the Texas Administrative Code and federal housing laws. Housing providers in the supportive housing portion of the program shall maintain compliance with local landlord tenant laws within their jurisdiction and the following federal housing laws:

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