The role of the MCoC NOFO Committee is to:
- Improve the system wide performance reflected in the NOFO to increase scores and resources gained
- Submit a successful project and system NOFO application to HUD
- Reassess priorities of NOFO application based upon federal and HUD changes
- Ensure stated outcomes are achieved for each and every CoC grant in the MCoC
- Identify high and low performance in each MCoC grant
- Identify corrective actions for low performing grants
- Identify and flag unspent MCoC funds
- Recommend further corrective action to the CoC Board on low performing grants
- Review and determine scoring priorities based upon changes in funding and community needs
- Make critical funding decisions based upon revised MCoC NOFO application scorecard and changes in funding and community needs
Involvement of PWLE will meet stated principles listed in the MCoC governance document that include: Representation, PWLE Committee, Planning Activities, Training, Compensation, and Engagement.
The role of the MCoC Coordinated Entry Committee is to effectively facilitate an equitable, person-centered system that includes:
- Effective connection of persons experiencing homelessness to CE resources
- Increases supply of resources in CE system
- Produces reliable data on system inflow, outflow, and effectiveness
- Increases client referrals to and success in appropriate housing resources
- Reduces inflow into homeless system through effective diversion practices
- Increases available funding for diversion programming within the CoC
The role of the MCoC Outcomes Committee is to:
- Integrate best practices in collecting, reviewing, and data driven decision making, including system wide measures, in the CoC
- Provide data analysis to be developed and performed to bring stronger outcomes
- Support quality and reliability in MCoC PIT count data
- Improve connections and resource provisions to unconnected persons experiencing homelessness
- Identify system gaps and needs to increase and reallocate resources to bring stronger outcomes
The role of the MCoC Membership Committee is to:
- Welcoming in of new members to the Maine Continuum of Care each year
- Orient new members the business of the MCoC
- Provide training to staff, volunteers and community members to strengthen our ability to house and prevent homelessness
- Identify membership gaps and needs to increase geographic participation and population representation
This Policy Committee is a Joint Standing Committee of the Maine Continuum of Care (“MCoC”) and Maine’s Statewide Homeless Council (“SHC”), formally known as the Maine Homeless Policy Committee. The Committee is an action-oriented group that collects, organizes, and shares information regarding numerous, ongoing policy initiatives. The Policy Committee advocates on the local, state, and federal levels for resources and funding for homeless services necessary to fulfill the mission, goals, and objectives of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Continuum of Care (“CoC”) Program and the MCoC.
The role of the MCoC Governance Committee is to:
- Ensure current and continuously updated governance documents are actively used and approved by the MCoC Board of Directors
- Ensure robust integration of inclusive principles in processes, documents, program delivery, and mission of CoC
- Develop and approve By Laws for the MCOC
- Ensure active and appropriate policies are developed and adhered to in MCoC Committees
HVAC coordinates homeless services amongst homeless providers for Veterans in the state of Maine with the goal of creating and implementing a system that ends Veteran homelessness.
The Maine Statewide Youth Action Board (YAB) is a forum for young people ages 14-24 to discuss issues, resources, etc. affecting their peers with shared, lived experiences including homelessness, poverty, interaction with foster or adoptive systems, interaction with the Department of Corrections or Juvenile Justice, and/or interaction with mental health and treatment systems, who strive to influence positive, systemic change while highlighting the values of respect and diversity amongst its membership.
History
In 2017, New Beginnings began working on the idea to establish a statewide group of youth leaders to advocate for the needs of young people interacting with the homeless, mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems in Maine. With initial support from the John T. Gorman Foundation, New Beginnings formed a statewide Youth Action Board (YAB) in early 2019.
The YAB members are between the ages of 14 and 24 and not only share the common thread of lived experience with homelessness, poverty, or interaction with mental health, foster/adoptive, juvenile justice, or mental health systems, but they also share a commitment to and passion for positively changing the experiences of other young people who may face similar life circumstances.
In August 2019, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that MaineHousing would receive a multi-year Youth Homeless Development Project (YHDP) grant – one of only eight awarded to rural sites across the nation. The grant is supporting the creation of a Coordinated Community Plan to end and prevent youth homelessness by identifying the strengths, gaps, and challenges in the existing youth homelessness response system and recommending strategies for improvement. New Beginnings serves as the lead agency for the planning phase of the YHDP grant, and in fall 2019 convened a leadership team of cross-sector experts from the Maine Departments of Corrections, Education, Health and Human Services, local municipalities, and nonprofit youth serving agencies to work with the YAB to begin creating Maine’s Coordinated Community Plan (CCP).
The Youth Action Board ensures that youth with lived experience in homelessness have a voice in all decisions related to the YHDP grant; after the CCP is finalized, non-profit, faith-based, and government agencies will have an opportunity to apply for sub grants to create new and innovative programs to end and prevent youth homelessness.
Mission and Values
- The Maine Statewide Youth Action Board or YAB is a forum for young people who have lived experience with various types of situations that Youth/Young adults shouldn’t have to face at home or in school. The YAB has worked hard to end young people being unsheltered and help people who need more supportive services or resources.
- The main goal of our YAB work is to help educate Youth/Young adults to understand their rights and resources in their local area. Everyone in this world has the right to have accessibility to food, housing, and income to support their own lifestyle and families.
- The Youth Action Board’s Mission statement is to build a foundation for youth and young adults to have a safe place to communicate about their own community issues and concerns.
- The YABs Vision statement is to revolutionize the state and become confident, educated, Advocates, for the future generation of leaders who will help build the future of these educational projects created.
- The YABs Goal is to have a relationship with other youth providers who work with young people who are unsheltered. We need all professionals in the field to consider the YABs input and always have young leaders at the table when we are discussing projects built for them.
- The YABs Dreams are having some creative and educational projects that will help systematically change and end young people being unsheltered.
- The YABs Hopes are to have a relationship with young people who are unsheltered and making sure they’re becoming housed quickly and are being supported in all the ways possible for them to succeed.
From 2017 to 2023, the Maine Statewide Youth Action Board Specialist was an individual with lived expertise, hired by board members and the supervisor. In August 2023, Beverly Hubbard, a dedicated and experienced YAB member, was promoted to this role before aging out. Her lived experience and leadership have significantly enhanced the Youth Action Board’s impact across Maine.
The Maine Statewide Youth Action Board proudly advocates for Maine and is gaining confidence in systems designed to support individuals experiencing homelessness or housing hardships who need professional support.
The Youth Action Board’s 2025 goal is to improve access to solutions, funding, and resources for young people and youth providers to end and prevent homelessness in Maine, recognizing that collaborative efforts are essential to solving this issue.
“The YAB and the YHDP grant presents new opportunities for vulnerable youth in Maine. The partnerships this will create—and the voice that it will give youth who have been or who are homeless—is truly what we need to prevent and respond to youth homelessness.”
– Chris Bicknell, New Beginnings Executive Director
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Contact YAB Specialist Bev to learn how you can get involved.
Phone: (207) 402-9106
Email: BHubbard@newbeginmaine.org
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