request for proposal
Baba Manor Permanent Supportive Housing
Introduction
Baba Manor Permanent Supportive Housing is a new project funded through Homeward Trust
Edmonton (HTE) by the Government of Alberta within the Edmonton Community Service
Delivery Plan, and includes funds from the Outreach Support Services Initiative ($365,715) and
the Mental Health stream ($358,847).
Baba Manor is a 20 unit facility to be used for Permanent Supportive Housing for chronically
homeless individuals with complex needs. A typical Baba Manor resident will have high acuity
in several domains, including a history of having spent many years chronically homeless.
Additionally, history of homelessness will be coupled with significant mental health diagnoses,
addictions, and/or physical health conditions as well as histories of trauma and marginalization.
Many will have experienced challenges engaging with conventional services.
This Request for Proposals (RFP) is intended to determine the operating team that will provide
a 24-hour service, incorporating on-site housing and care supports coordinated by Alberta
Health Services, to address complexities related to addictions, mental health, concurrent
disorders and chronic health issues. It is expected that proponents will work with AHS in order
to implement best practices for providing permanent supportive housing, including clientcentred care and optimal integration of Baba Manor and its residents with the surrounding
community.
About Homeward Trust Edmonton
Homeward Trust Edmonton is a not for profit organization that uses a community-based
approach toward the goal of ending homelessness in Edmonton. Our primary role is to provide
leadership to coordinate responses to ending homelessness in Edmonton, managing
approximately $30 million in funding on behalf of the federal, provincial, and municipal
governments. Homeward Trust increases access to housing by funding the development of new
units and accessing market units, coordinates the provision of support services, undertakes
community planning and research, raises awareness in the community through events and
initiatives that promote ending homelessness in Edmonton.
Priority Need for Permanent Supportive Housing
The need for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) has been identified as an essential
component of long-term plans to address homelessness. In November 2011, the Edmonton
Homeless Commission released their Study of Homeless in Edmonton with Intensive Needs
report, which provided an in-depth assessment of the need for supportive housing in
Edmonton, particularly for individuals with complex needs. The Edmonton Area Community
Plan on Housing and Supports: 2011-2015 was developed to consolidate the multiple plans and
homeward trust – request for proposal
strategies related to housing and homelessness (including the provincial and municipal Ten Year
Plans to End Homelessness) relevant in the Edmonton context. It is used as a key guiding
document for HTE and the homeless-serving sector in Edmonton. The Community Plan
highlights PSH as a focus area and identifies several strategies to address this need:
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Prioritize new permanent supportive housing projects that incorporate a harm
reduction philosophy
Provide more permanent supportive housing for people with complex behaviors, people
with physical disabilities, and seniors
Address the needs of vulnerable populations that do not have access to permanent
supportive housing
About Baba Manor
Baba Manor is located at 10121 – 151 Street in west Edmonton. Each resident will have their
own one bedroom unit; several of those units are handicap accessible. Each unit has a living
area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Residents will have full access to laundry facilities on
the ground floor. Also, on the ground floor will be staff offices conveniently located right in the
building (see attached floor plan). The property will be managed by the owner of the building,
with whom clients will have a landlord-tenant relationship.
Target Population and Intake Process
Characteristics of the target client group may include the following:
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Singles or couples without children
May be high users of emergency services (EMS, ED’s)
Have symptoms of multiple medical, mental health and/or addiction issues that
necessitate 24 hour support
Are able to conduct the basic skills associated with independent living with regular
prompting and/or some support
Some physical conditions resulting in mobility challenges
Those that require a harm reduction, recovery focused living environment
History of chronic homelessness.
All referrals for Baba Manor will come through Homeward Trust’s Referral Review and
Placement Committee. The committee provides a centralized access point where referrals are
received, reviewed based on a clinical assessment, and matched to an appropriate permanent
supportive housing option, including Baba Manor. The Committee ultimately supports timely
and appropriate placement of clients in need of Permanent Supportive Housing. The key
activities of this committee are:
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Review referrals on a monthly basis to make an eligibility determination for PSH
Submit approved referrals to qualified professionals for clinical assessment and
recommendations on services required, based on client needs
Assure the availability of required services through Alberta Health Services, other
resources, and/or on-site staff prior to making a decision on placement.
Coordinate with PSH providers to secure placement with the provider best suited to
support the referral successfully
Provide advice on coordination of mainstream services in relation to the on-site
supports provided
The operating team will work closely with the committee in the intake process. Baba Manor
staff will be expected to implement and coordinate multiple care plans based on assessments
and committee recommendations.
Scope of Service
Baba Manor staff will have the tools, education, and background to keep the target individuals
housed successfully. Service will be provided in order to address the mental health, addiction,
and other health needs of the residents. This approach includes assistance with transitions to
and from institutions like hospitals or corrections, individualized recovery planning, joint
wellness programming, coordination of on-site and mainstream services, facilitating
connections to community resources, concurrent mental health and addiction treatment, and
care coordination. Proponent will develop strategies for proactively addressing resident issues
and providing an adequate crisis response on a 24/7 basis. Those strategies will include having
staff on-site 24/7, supporting participants to develop their own crisis plans, and working with
clinical staff on crisis prevention.
In order to serve the recommended client group, it is anticipated they will require wrap around
clinical and housing supports, some of which will be provided directly by the contractor while
others will be coordinated through mainstream services like Alberta Health Services and
community-based agencies. The operating team should be composed of staff capable of
providing the following:
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Recovery Services – access to peer support and peer-led education, vocational and
employment assistance, wellness self-management and recovery education, support
groups, recreation and leisure, community integration and community development,
and family support
Skills for Independent Living – assistance with developing skills for meal preparation,
cleaning, money management, laundry, transportation, shopping, tenant
responsibilities, relationships with other tenants, communication and conflict resolution
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Supports for Daily Living – assisting tenants with meals, housekeeping, laundry and
linen, social leisure, and referral to community supports to supplement independent
living skills
Coordination of Other Health and Social Supports – provide case management, routine
medical care and assistance, and planning and coordination of services provided on-site
and by external service providers (e.g. Alberta Health Services)
Property Management – provide a single point of contact for safety and security,
landlord relations, rent collection, and community relations
Staff Training
The following training will be provided by Homeward Trust Edmonton either directly or through
other providers:
• Motivational Interviewing
• Workplace Safety
• Non-Violent Crisis Prevention
• Efforts to Outcomes™
• Aboriginal Diversity
• Housing First Philosophy
• Non-Judgmental Approaches
• Trauma Informed Care
• Recovery Based Care
• Harm Reduction Principles
• Community Development and Integration
• Landlord Relations
• Conflict Resolution
Please note that proponents need to include a plan (including budget if applicable) for
providing the following training:
• Workplace health and safety
• Resident safety
• Treatment of concurrent disorders (mental health and addictions)
Evaluation
Homeward Trust is responsible for the evaluation of the Baba Manor project, working with the
proponent to apply elements from the existing Housing First evaluation framework to the Baba
Manor project. It is expected that the proponent will participate in evaluation activities of Baba
Manor and collect data accordingly. The proponent is required to use Efforts to Outcomes™
(ETO), a widely used online platform for case management and reporting, as part of the
evaluation protocol. Staff will be required to use ETO for case management and room
management. Homeward Trust will cover the costs of licensing, training, support, and user
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access for ETO. Equipment such as computers, tablets, and relevant software should be
included in the budget plan.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be considered to receive funding, the proponent must demonstrate:
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Organizational and program alignment with the approaches, principles, and best
practices described above, including (but not limited to) recovery-oriented services,
harm reduction, and housing first
A viable strategy for consistently staffing a 24-hour service incorporating on site housing
supports as well as working with clinical service providers for the period of the contract
Sufficient programming and operational expertise and capacity to facilitate successful
outcomes for the residents
Sound financial and human resources management
Strong connections with key service providers in the community
Approved Costs
For the purpose of the Baba Manor Permanent Supportive Housing, the following are approved
costs:
• Personnel (please indicate on the budget sheet the proposed occupations and their
respective budget)
• Staff operation
o Phones (in house staff line)
o Kilometers @ $0.50/KM
• Client startup costs
o Security Deposits
o Household Items
o Furniture (FIND Eligible)
• Administration costs @ 15%
• One time set-up costs
Application Requirement
All proponents must submit a proposal with the following components:
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A complete electronic RFP application form
A complete electronic budget negotiation form
Attachments
o Certificate of Insurance
o Proof of non-profit status (registration as a Not for Profit Society in the Province
of Alberta and/or Revenue Canada as a Charitable Organization)
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o Certificate of Incorporation
o Audited financial statements for the two most recent fiscal years, including any
management letters and responses to the same
Review Process
Those interested in providing a submission for consideration are asked to complete the
application and submit to Homeward Trust by TBD. Homeward Trust administration will then
review submissions to the RFP to ensure completion, determine eligibility and appropriateness
for the submission and prepare items for review by the Project Review Committee and the
Aboriginal Advisory Council. Following that, review by the Board of Directors will decide on
allocations of funding to organizations. Homeward Trust is a community-based organization
and therefore all submissions are subject to this review process.
Submissions and Deadline
Please note that all final proposals must be submitted via email to the attention of:
Susan McGee, Chief Executive Director
Homeward Trust Edmonton
6th Floor, 10242 105 Street
Edmonton AB T5J 3L5
Email: proposals@homewardtrust.ca
Application Submission Deadline: February 15th, 2013, 12:00 PM, Mountain Standard Time,
Homeward Trust reserves the right to refuse or reject applications that are not completed in
full, do not include all necessary attachments, or are not submitted by the deadline.