4_A-4.15_SOW_Access_Center.pdf

2026-2027 Washington County DHS - Homeless Services Division

Access Center Services Attachment A-4.15 Scope of Work

A-4 – Access Center Services 1

SCOPE OF WORK (SOW)

This Scope of Work outlines the contractual requirements to which the Access Center provider must adhere. This document is not a standalone document and works in conjunction with the Partner Agency Contract and Program Manual. Washington County Department of Housing Services (DHS) reserves the right to make changes related to prioritization, matching and other aspects of the implementation of the complete system. Programs will be notified through policies, interim guidance, and other forms of communication when deemed necessary. Programs must comply with all local, state and federal laws to protect against discrimination and harassment, and to ensure privacy, confidentiality, and the financial management of grant funds.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The purpose of the Access Center program is to fill the critical gap in services to households and individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness. It is expected that Access Center services are available to unsheltered individuals regardless of enrollment or engagement in a housing program.

Access Center services include basic needs (food, showers, clothing, and hygiene items), support accessing critical documents such as birth certificates and identification, inclement weather sheltering, support accessing mainstream benefit resources such as SNAP and OHP, providing referrals to community resources, conducting Community Connect assessments, and additional housing navigation services (homelessness diversion, housing needs assessment, and connections to appropriate housing services, etc.). Access Centers should facilitate access to property held by law enforcement and work collaboratively with law enforcement to support unhoused people. Additionally, Access Centers should collaborate with Health and Human Services programs and other services as needed and requested by the Department of Housing Services.

Program goals are reached by meeting people where they are at, building relationships with participants and establishing creative community partnerships to increase access to services for participants. Access Center services establish supportive relationships and enhance the possibility that participants will access the necessary services and supports that will help them move into and maintain permanent housing. Providers use Housing First, Harm Reduction, Low Barrier, and Trauma-Informed Care approaches and programming principles to enhance the quality of services and improve community outcomes. While focusing on Housing First principles, providers should implement motivational interviewing techniques and assertive engagement to provide clear and direct support in ensuring participants are on a path to self-sufficiency.

REQUIRED TRAININGS

The provider shall ensure that program staff attend trainings within 60 days of hire. Training requirements are outlined in the Program Manual including training that is consistent with all current federal, state, and local laws relating to anti-discrimination, including, but not limited to, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000(d) et seq., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C. sections 12101 et seq.), as amended, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101-07), as applicable.

A-4 – Access Center Services 2

SERVICE PROVISION

The provider shall provide supportive services at the Access Center accordance with procedures approved by Washington County Department of Housing Services (DHS), aligned with the Washington County DHS Program Manual, and consistent with laws, regulations, and current best practices and standards.

1. Provider must make their address and hours of operation publicly available, inform the Department of Housing Services of any changes to operating hours, and actively engage with Street Outreach providers and Community Connect to encourage unsheltered individuals to engage with access services.

a. The expectation is 12 hours a day, 7 days a week

2. Provider must maintain adequate staffing structure that supports safety within and around the Access Center.

3. Providers are permitted to prohibit the possession and/or use of weapons, alcohol, and/or illegal drugs on the site.

a. Provider must, however, establish Harm Reduction policies, practices, and procedures designed to minimize negative consequences resulting from participants’ use or possession of contraband items as referenced above

b. Harm Reduction is not intended to prevent the termination of a participant whose actions or behavior constitute a threat to the safety of participants and/or staff

4. Engage and maintain a “Good Neighbor Agreement” with nearby residences and businesses.

a. The agreement should include provider sent email updates, property upkeep expectations, and an after-hours phone line, email, or a way to respond to neighbor complaints.

b. “Good Neighbor Agreement” policy shall be reviewed by Washington County Housing.

5. All vandalism on site must be cleaned, and site must maintain a clean external and internal appearance. This includes setting and managing behavioral expectations for participants when they come and go from the property.

6. Basic need services must be provided and regularly available including:

a. Meals should be provided on a consistent and publicly advertised time with snacks always available

b. Showers, laundry, grooming, and hygiene items

c. Mail service, reasonable telephone access, and internet access

7. The provider shall check HMIS to assess whether the participant has an HMIS profile and determine if they are currently enrolled in a housing or shelter program or has any pending referrals.

a. If the participant has a pending referral, Access Center staff shall provide the participant with that information and attempt a warm hand-off with the appropriate provider to support connection to services.

b. Participants who do not have an HMIS profile should be entered into HMIS and provided a Phase 1 Assessment. While this goal should be prioritized, basic needs services should not be denied to an individual who does not want to share their information.

8. Provider will complete Community Connect assessments, update existing HMIS records as needed, and enter engagement with access services as service transactions in HMIS.

9. Where applicable, provider shall work with participant to obtain all appropriate Releases of Information (ROI) to allow effective communication with system partners and other service providers/agencies to assist participants with connections to resources, services and benefits, coordination of services, participant advocacy, etc. This includes ROIs for the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) as well as any agency-specific ROIs.

10. Provider is encouraged to build partnerships with other community-based services that can be provided on site including health and behavioral health providers, peer mentorship programs, harm reduction programs, employment services, recovery programs, and other services.

11. The provider is expected to transform the Access Center into a space for Inclement Weather Sheltering (IWS)

A-4 – Access Center Services 3 when the county delivers IWS activation messages.

a. This includes 24/7 sheltering services during the entire duration of IWS activation with deactivation notices delivered by the county.

b. Additional IWS requirements can be found in the IWS Scope of Work and Program Manual.

12. Provider should establish policies, procedures, and standards of safety for when families with minor children seek access services and basic needs.

13. Participants should be offered assistance in moving forward in accessing permanent housing through collaboration with housing programs including creating a Service Plan to set housing, financial, and wellness goals; support with completing housing applications; and other support associated with the housing placement process.

14. Provider must have the ability to store participants’ belongings requiring a secured and locked storage and have policies and procedures for the return or relinquishment of funds and/or possessions held on behalf of a participants.

a. Storing participant belongings should only be for a short period of time.

b. Items stored should comply with provider standards.

15. Provider must promptly and appropriately respond to medical problems of participants and staff.

a. Provider must ensure regular training is provided to staff and volunteers about naloxone, common physical health, and mental health problems of people experiencing homelessness and how to obtain needed and appropriate services.

b. Provider must adopt and comply with the County’s infectious disease protocols and procedures.

Provider must have written action plans for responding to infectious disease within the Access Center.

16. Provide must have language access policies and services to ensure service delivery to various languages.

17. Provider should continuously seek improvement around trauma informed practices and de-escalation tactics.

PERFORMANCE TARGETS

Access Center Key Performance Targets

Metric Performance Target Details Target Goal Rationale

Community Connect Assessment

% of households with active and complete Community Connect Assessment.

80% Supports System Integration

Hours of Operation Consistently meet hours of operation as defined under Service Provision 95%

Supports System Need

Programmatic Report

Provider will provide a written review of the fiscal year including successes, challenges, and feedback from staff and participants

Provided within 30 days of end of the Fiscal Year

Supports System Need

HMIS Participant Check-Ins

Number of participant check-ins per week > 300 participants

Supports System Need

Shelter & Housing Referrals

% of high Access Center utilizers with shelter referral, housing referral, or 2+ service transactions per month

*High utilizers defined as 3+ check-ins per month

75%

Supports System Connectivity

Provision of Provider must submit copies of all required All documents Supports system

A-4 – Access Center Services 4 required documentation within 30 days of start of Fiscal Year policies as outlined in the program manual within 30 days of the start of the fiscal year.

Providers with multi-scope contracts may submit one set of documents that apply to all program types but may need to submit additional documents specific to particular program areas.

submitted within 30 days of new fiscal year consistency