Upon receiving American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding, the Board of County Commissioners (“Board”) directed staff to conduct extensive community and employee input. Various methods were used, both on-line and in-person, including a community-wide needs assessment. Key takeaways were categorized into six areas:

• Housing & Homelessness
• Employment Recovery
• Business Supports
• Education & Childcare
• Infrastructure & Public Services
• Health & Social Service Needs

Based on the outreach efforts, the Board approved priority areas and in late 2021 and established eight corresponding task forces. They are:

• Behavioral Health*
• County Services and Operations
• Economic Recovery*
• Food Insecurity
• Housing*
• Public Health & Safety
• Revenue Replacement
• Workforce Readiness*

The task forces brought subject matter experts and county leaders together to consider a range of potential projects, analyze and study the projects impacts to the community as well as ensuring the project met the federal guidelines for ARPA expenditures.

Highlighted on the following pages are just a few of the incredible stories of the efforts and community collaboration in distributing ARPA funding to those who so desperately in need.

We are continuing to evaluate projects, programs, and initiatives and will have more success stories to come in the following weeks and months! Stay tuned…. 

TASK FORCE: FOOD INSECURITY

Jefferson County is committed to fostering a local food system that ensures equitable access to nutritious, locally produced food that reflects cultural preferences. Supporting Jefferson County farmers, investing in food systems infrastructure, improving organizational community engagement, commitment to racial and social equity, and striving for strong collaboration among organizations and communities are a few ways we will achieve our goal.

Community-based food justice organizations must be connected with meaningful resources, including funding, training, technical assistance, and tools for building organizational resilience. The Food System Grant is an  opportunity to invest $1,700,000 from ARPA into Jefferson County’s long-term food security and collective impact efforts. This program will be primarily administered and coordinated by Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) Food Systems Team and Jefferson County’s Rescue Team.

On November 28, following a robust review process, 12 community-based organizations received grants for a total of $1,599,855 of the total $1,700,000 available. One such grantee is Hunger Free Golden Coalition. A community collaborative united around a common cause – ensuring that all members of our community have equitable access to healthy, culturally relevant, and fresh food by taking a holistic approach to their efforts by focusing on all aspects of our local food system. Their grant dollars will go toward expanding community engagement, racial equity, resilience, sustainability, and collaboration in an existing partnership in the City of Golden, to create economic opportunity for farmers, increase nutritious food access, and address root causes of food insecurity.

TASK FORCE: ECONOMIC RECOVERY

The Economic Recovery Task Force concentrates on funding for county infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, airport, public works equipment, wildfire prevention projects and programs, like Jefferson County Wildfire Safe; broadband strategy and infrastructure investments.

To address upwards of $500M in backlogged road and bridge projects, the Task Force will fund (or match) $20M to address critical projects from the $70M that are in danger of imminent failure. Among the several projects funded by ARPA include Belleview Avenue over Bergen Ditch Culvert, Drew Hill Culvert and 3.3 miles of bridge deck deteriorating north of Deckers.

TASK FORCE: HOUSING

The Housing Task Force focuses on pressing community needs such as affordable housing and emergency shelters near public transportation and “high walkability” to employment, shopping, parks, and other services. A navigation center which will link our community to services and housing will also be researched and evaluated.

We will utilize $250,000 of ARPA funding, combined with a DOLA Innovative Affordable Housing Plan grant, to develop a 15-year housing plan to assess and inform the county about housing needs in the Jefferson County community.

*Align with the State’s priority ARPA areas. 

Reference

https://www.jeffco.us/4277/American-Rescue-Plan-Act
Interactive Dashboard at https://www.jeffco.us/4277/American-Rescue-Plan-Act

Douglas County recently completed its allocation of ARPA funds and is in the process of implementing funding agreements with subgrantees where appropriate. Funding was allocated to seven priority investment areas:

Wildfire Suppression and Mitigation: $3.6 million

• Expansion of the County’s defensible space program, working with property owners engaged in brush removal and thinning by matching their 25% investment with 75% follow-on funding.
• Staffing for a Helitack Team in support of the County’s Wildfire Aerial Support Strategy.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Community (IDD): $6.75 million

• A partnership with Wellspring Community for an independent living solution for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxZRo7fvZME&t=30s
• A partnership with Arapahoe Community College for the expansion of internships, scholarships, and student support for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and those with Traumatic Brain Injury

Mental and Behavioral Health: $9 million

• Additional funding for The Care Compact – a program of the Douglas County Mental Health Initiative. The program supports individuals with mental health, substance use disorder, or intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) needs by linking existing care coordination service providers. Through a networked system of care, The Care Compact reduces duplication of services, improves transitions between levels of care, and ensures fewer gaps in treatment while producing better outcomes for members of our community.
• Expansion of Douglas County Community Response Teams in conjunction with municipal partners in Castle Rock, Lone Tree, the Town of Parker, and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. These teams are comprised of a mental health clinician and law enforcement personnel, who respond in the community to streamline access to mental health and substance abuse services for individuals in Douglas County.
• Suicide Prevention Grants
• A Walk-In Crisis Stabilization Unit open to all ages and a 10,000 square foot, 16-bed Child and Adolescent Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) for ages 5 to 21. This facility, to be built in partnership with AllHealth Network, will be a first in Douglas County and would address a known youth mental health need for Douglas County families.
• Veterans Mental Health Services
• Operational support for Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners, Colorado’s operator of the Crisis hotline and Suicide Prevention hotline, during its transition to operation of the 988-suicide prevention hotline.

Homelessness: $1.17 million

• The Homeless Engagement, Assistance and Resource Team (HEART) pilot program, consisting of three navigators who respond to community calls, assist law enforcement, and provide support to homeless individuals, thus strengthening the system of support for those experiencing homelessness.
• A Reintegration Deputy working to aid those being released from the County jail.

Water and Wastewater: $35.7 million

• $2.6 million grant to Sedalia Water and Sanitation District for community-wide water line replacement.
• A $26.8 million partnership with Castle Rock Water and the Plum Creek Water Reclamation Authority Highway to bring central wastewater service to the Highway 85 corridor.
• A $4.3 million partnership with Dominion Water and Sanitation District to extend a water distribution line capable of delivering renewable water sources to the village of Louviers.
• A $1.96 million grant to the Louviers Water and Sanitation District for treatment of their water supply for radium.
• (Video overview of water and wastewater investments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2b5TxfUGVk

Broadband: approximately $8 million

• Countywide broadband needs assessment
• Reservation of up to $8 million for projects that improve “middle mile” and “last mile” broadband connectivity for unserved and underserved County residents.

Community and Economic Priorities: $5 million

• Douglas County will partner with Arapahoe Community College (ACC) to enrich the talent pipeline for primary employers in Douglas County through: Acquisition of equipment for ACC’s new Advanced Robotics and Automation Lab, and construction of a Mobile Health and Medical Skills Lab and EMT Simulation Classroom.
• The County has also dedicated more than $3 million in support of Park Meadows Retail Resort and the Park Meadows Business Improvement District for lost revenue and expenses incurred during the pandemic.

DETENTION FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS

Delta County continues to utilize the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to address additional capacity and spacing needs that were highlighted during the COVID pandemic in our detention facility.

Story

Our detention facility was built in 1958 and was constructed to house an average of 50 inmates.  Currently, our average daily count exceeds 70 plus individuals. Additionally, the need for mental health accommodations was not as clear and present need as it is in today’s environment.

Delta County has secured architectural and engineering assistance to draft construction plans to increase capacity, add mental health secure areas and medical isolation units to increase spacing needs and improve safety. Funding will be utilized for implementing construction plans and to facilitate the needs of Delta County.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

We used 7% of the funds to develop a housing project in our six-county region for attainable housing. The groundbreaking for Crowley County is the 25th of April.

Story

The funds were used to purchase the lots in order to bring the price down for the end buyer.

County Commissioner Blaine Arbuthnot said the county probably needs five times the number in this project to provide affordable housing to commuting workers, but it’s a start.

References

• Colorado Sun news article

SMALL BUSINESS RENT RESCUE GRANT PROGRAM

When the Covid pandemic hit in March 2020, small businesses everywhere were almost instantly decimated by the resulting lockdowns. Even after reopening a few months later, many businesses struggled to attract customers who were still wary of venturing back out in public en masse. This predicament stretched through 2021, as businesses’ reduced patronage and revenue made it impossible to pay back rent and other bills.

The federal government partially addressed these issues via legislation, first with the CARES Act in 2020 and then with ARPA in 2021. These relief funds helped counties and communities funnel some desperately needed help to at least some of their most vulnerable residents and businesses. One of the programs Arapahoe County created with these funds in 2021 was the Small Business Rent Rescue Grant Program. Over several months, this program was able to give $4.481 million in one-time grants to 112 area businesses, helping them stay open during Covid’s extended period of intermittent shutdowns and broad uncertainty.

Story

One of the programs Arapahoe County created with these funds in 2021 was the Small Business Rent Rescue Grant Program. Over several months, this program was able to give $4.481 million in one-time grants to 112 area businesses, helping them stay open during Covid’s extended period of intermittent shutdowns and broad uncertainty. The aid helped organizations is many categories, with the bulk of the funds going to hospitality and food/drink services, personal services, and retail, i.e., the locally owned outlets that provide jobs and give communities their character.

Much like these businesses, Arapahoe County has experienced its own loss of revenue during the pandemic, and this program—along with many others—would not have been possible without the federal funding behind it. Since last year, the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners has been conducting an extensive review process for proposals that seek to leverage the two tranches of ARPA funds, the second of which is scheduled to arrive in May 2022.

The proposals Arapahoe County has reviewed run the gamut, from providing services and facilities for vulnerable populations, to addressing mental health, homelessness, criminal justice, and further business support, including “upskilling” and hiring initiatives.

“We’ve set up a very thorough vetting process for these programs and are approving them based on how soundly they plan to address the problems they’re trying to solve,” said Arapahoe County Board Chair Nancy Jackson. “Not only has the ARPA funding enabled us to set up or expand these programs, it has kept us from having to use our own depleted revenues to support them, because without this federal assistance our communities would be facing a much more difficult recovery than they already are.”

References

• https://www.arapahoegov.com/2218/American-Rescue-Plan-Relief-Act-ARPA

FAMILY NAVIGATORS

The County’s Human Services Department (ACDHS) has been approved to use the County’s ARPA funds allotment to add two additional family navigator positions to its existing two navigators (plus one supervisor). This has helped our staff increase their capacity to address the complex needs of families that are already experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless.

The navigators fit seamlessly into the ACDHS Two-Generational (2Gen) approach, which serves multiple generations of families simultaneously—and in multiple categories such as housing, domestic violence prevention, job training, and parental skills development—to better address the often-chronic problems these families might experience.

Story

Municipal governments are constantly trying to streamline their services, but no matter how much progress they make there always will be layers of processes that residents must complete to receive these services. This can be especially difficult for those living in poverty, for the elderly, or for anyone who lacks adequate or consistent access to technology, and these kinds of issues were only compounded by the pandemic as poverty rates increased due to factors such as job losses or reduced work hours.

Arapahoe County has begun to address this problem by hiring navigators, trained professionals who help residents make (and keep) the appointments, complete the forms, and submit the materials the County must have to ensure that their clients are getting the help they’re entitled to receive. These workers also connect families to community resources and additional services and supports that are provided by community partners, including various agencies and faith-based organizations.

In addition to helping clients better utilize our services, navigators also are part of a community of programs and services that reach far beyond what the County can do for them. Any governmental relief system has many gaps and barriers that vulnerable populations face when trying to access assistance, and navigators help them make the appropriate connections and leverage available resources. In so doing, navigation goes beyond general case management by helping those who really need intensive support services.

In the period between September 2020 and May 2021, these navigators served 381 families and were able to help 316 of the families find temporary housing and 89 of them find permanent housing within one-to-three months of starting the process. The demand for the navigators was so great that doubling the staff size—which the County could not have afforded to do without the ARPA relief funds—should help ACDHS serve at least twice as many families.

The feedback the County has received from program participants has been so grateful and encouraging that other departments have begun hiring more navigators, usually using ARPA assistance to fund the positions, to help work with other food assistance, job training, judicial services, and veteran-specific programs offered by the County.

“The navigator model has been a welcome addition to our many services and programs,” said ACHS Director Cheryl Ternes. “Being able to use the ARPA dollars to fund these positions—instead of having to dip into our already limited budget—has been an invaluable help in expanding our core mission of ensuring the health and safety of our most vulnerable populations.”

References

• https://www.arapahoegov.com/2218/American-Rescue-Plan-Relief-Act-ARPA

SUPPORTING FOOD INSECURE STUDENTS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Story

We have some great stories from our efforts to be good stewards of the ARPA money from bringing broadband to historic Sylvan Dale Ranch through partnership with Loveland Pulse and the City of Loveland or the ARPA money we have allocated towards helping Loveland Kids Pak feed food insecure students in the Thompson School District, or the money towards our adolescent focus building Phase 2 for our behavioral health campus Phase 1 that opens next year and more.

We are proud of our regional efforts with municipal partners, nonprofits and others to support transformational projects that help build resilient and thriving communities and our efforts as a BOCC to allocate funds to do the most good with the greatest impact.

We have a website that shares some great stories: see https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories and https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf#:~:text=Larimer%20County%20has%20submitted%20its,Act%20of%202021%20(ARPA).

References

• Immediate Needs Grants Stories
• Larimer County ARPA Portal

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: HOUSING

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

So many in our community during the pandemic were experiencing housing insecurity. The Larimer County Immediate Needs grant program provided funding to the Colorado Poverty Law Project (CPLP), whose mission is to prevent homelessness through legal representation and advocacy. Utilizing the LCING funds, the CPLP served a total of 204 residents:, providing 62 unduplicated households legal services through direct or limited representation for housing security legal matters, and 142 residents in education programs or legal clinics.

For instance, LCING funds helped a 23-year-old single mother facing eviction for nonpayment of rent. Since she was caring for herself, her two children and her mother, the project’s attorneys were also able to reverse the eviction and find rental assistance so they could remain in their home.

Another older, long-time resident in a mobile home was served an eviction notice for minor repairs that amounted to cosmetic upgrades and was at risk of losing her home. A CPLP attorney successfully negotiated a solution and avoid eviction while improving the look of the property.

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

An anonymous business reported that “The grant that our business received was imperative to our survival. During the pandemic, with reduced revenue and increased costs, our business bank account was depleted down to $100 at one point. Our monthly business expenses are roughly $36,000, even after tightening up every area possible. This disparity caused a great deal of stress. The grant enabled us to pay our rent, which allowed us to continue paying our valuable staff – a single dad, a couple with four children, a young entrepreneur, college students, etc.. These funds not only kept our business going, but also helped provide financial stability to our staff during a very turbulent time”.

Snack Attack Specialty Sandwiches and Brews reported that, “We are so grateful to have received an Immediate Needs Grant! It has helped us continue to adapt and change how we operate our business during this time of post-pandemic recovery. Our industry is still experiencing daily supply chain challenges, extreme workforce limitations along with increased food/supply inflation which has made it tougher than ever to own a restaurant. This grant has allowed us to invest in areas for team onboarding, wage increases, uniforms but ultimately helping us adjust into this new age of restaurant operations. Additionally, it has certainly eased the pain in managing some financial aspects of our business and allowing us to focus our energy in areas where we can hire the right team members and continue to give our guests the best experience we can offer. We are thankful for every guest that chooses our restaurant, and we want to ensure they are receiving top notch value for where they spend their money. Truly, we are extremely thankful!”

Bistro Nautile is one of many restaurants that struggled mightily during the pandemic. The restaurant opened its doors as Nautile in June of 2020. Because of COVID restrictions, we were allowed to create a patio in the three parking spaces in front of our restaurant. The restaurant utilized LCING funds to “create a space that people want to be in and will hopefully appreciate and enjoy for years to come. Additionally, we think the plants and the patio add a touch of class to our little block. Thank you to the committee and to Larimer County for providing these funds to help us gain a leg up and give back to our community. It meant the world.”

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: FOOD INSECURITY

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

Many non-profits were able to help our community like Kids Pak in Loveland. Using LCING funds, they were able to step up their normal mission of providing nutrition for food-insecure children in the Thompson School District so that over 500 students continued to receive food over the weekends. They started providing weekend food bags during the last 8 weeks of school in the 2020 school year.

In the Poudre School District, the McBackpack organization purchased 48,400 lbs of food from the Food Bank for Larimer County which translated into 5,780 bags of food for 36 unique schools across the Poudre School District. This was enough to provide 17,340 weekend meals and snacks for students and their families across our community.

Vindeket Foods utilized LCING funds to purchase a used 20-foot refrigerated truck that has helped immensely in their mission to rescue food. The additional truck expanded their fleet and allowed Vindeket to reach more donors and save more food from the landfill. The truck has helped transport produce, dairy, meat, dry goods and more from stores and suppliers to the Vindeket Market, where it goes straight back into the community to be utilized and enjoyed, rather than thrown away.

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: BENEFITS NAVIGATION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

Alianza NORCO reports that as “…the COVID-19 pandemic began its rampage of infection across our immigrant population, many of whom are essential frontline workers. Locally, the impacts of these two events were: reduced economic opportunities, worsening mental and physical health, decreased legal services, and a lack of upward mobility for our immigrant population.” The organization has utilized LCING funds to serve 526 total clients with benefits navigation and rental assistance support that has leveraged nearly $200,000 in rental support funds to the community. An example of a success story includes: “This last year we met a single mom who was getting her license through our navigation services. During the process, our navigators found out that she was working three jobs to repair her water-damaged roof and kitchen, which was non-functional. Her children were struggling with school and mental health problems during the pandemic. We helped her with rent assistance, raised funds and organized our immigrant community to help repair her mobile home, connected her and her children to mental health resources, and helped obtain her driver’s license. Our work transformed her life for the better and confirmed our commitment to bridging our community to other nonprofits. ”

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: CHILDCARE

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

The pandemic forced many families to keep their children out of preschool for safety reasons, forcing some 10% of Larimer County preschool providers to close their doors. This category had 4 grants with $238,403 in total funding.

LCING funds supported Thompson Valley Preschool [TVP] enrollment dropped to 75%.  The LCING funding not only helped TVP keep its doors open from the loss of tuition to care for young children but also temporarily backfilled the tuition loss to keep their staff employed.

Another beneficiary of the LCING funding is the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County. The funds helped the council to map out the future welfare of our community’s children, by completing a detailed study and early childhood workforce report on Larimer County’s children looking toward the future. The information and data in the report are crucial to supporting the well-being of Larimer County’s children, economy, and community. The Early Childhood Council is using this information to guide them in forming partnerships across the county to enhance our children’s well-being and attract and retain a superior workforce.

Teaching Tree utilized their LCING grant to implement cohorting, which kept classrooms safe and open, with minimal classroom closures in 2022. Since receiving the grant, Teaching Tree did not need to close a classroom completely; keeping classrooms open has ensured that the low- and middle-income families we serve have consistent, reliable childcare so that parents can work, go to school, participate in job training, and maintain or progress toward self-sufficiency.

LCING funding enabled Respite Care, Inc. to utilize cohorts to continue to provide services to children with disabilities. While safer, cohorting proved more expensive. Cohorting does not allow for moving staff around to where the need is greatest, nor were we able to combine age groups in one area when attendance is low.  The restrictions of cohorting increased the number of staff needed to provide care for each age group and the number of hours that staff are working. Before the pandemic, the staffing ratio was typically 2.0 children for every one 1 staff member, due to the high needs of the vulnerable population we serve. With cohorting, this ratio has decreased to 1.6 children for every 1 staff member. Consequently, the number of staff hours Respite Care, Inc. are paying has increased by approximately 460 hours per month. Respite Care, Inc. reports that, “Our families have been so thankful that we have taken this strong stand to keep their childcare available. Another advantage is that staff have become more knowledgeable about their specific age group and have established stronger relationships with the kids and guardians they work with.”

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: SUPPORT FOR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

The United Way of Larimer County utilized LCING funds to launch a program called Equity and Excellence, which provided a training opportunity is called the Grant Readiness Cohort. The Grant Readiness Cohort was made available to grass roots and community led organizations in Larimer County. United Way of Larimer County selected a highly qualified grant professional to provide monthly group training and 1:1 support to each organization while United Way of Larimer County provided compensation to each of the eight participating organizations for their time. The data collected so far has illuminated that this cohort program has been very beneficial to the participants and will not only allow them to seek larger grant/funding opportunities but will give them the tools they need to manage any funds that they are awarded. This creates a more equitable social sector and in turn, allows these organizations to provide more impactful programming and services in the communities that they serve. Considering the many impacts that COVID has had on our community, it is more vital now than ever that grassroots and community led organizations are supported and uplifted by programming like this which allows them to do their work more effectively and efficiently.

The Fort Collins Symphony received an LCING grant that enabled that organization to move the youth and family concerts to the spring after being informed by Poudre School District of the need to cancel a Youth Education Series concerts (YES). Moving the program to the spring generated enough demand to add two concerts so that charter, private, and several Weld County classes could attend. On March 8 and 11, 2022, the Fort Collins Symphony, Maestro Wes Kenney, and guest composer and narrator Gregory Smith performed SIX 45-minute educational concerts to over 2,500 students at Timberline Church. (Normally the FCS hosts over 4,000 4th and 5th graders for the YES concerts but health protocols required students to be socially distanced.) Then on March 13, the Friends of the Symphony sponsored a slightly longer version of the concert for over 600 families to enjoy. Comments received from participants include: “The concert inspired me so much that I know I want to play the flute in middle school,” and “Your symphony was the most beautiful musical concert I have ever heard. The music really made me feel so alive. I never realized how much music means until now.”

The Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities utilized funding for a variety of projects including:

• GenHerous, which fostered a compassionate perspective of ourselves and other women across generations.
• Virtual Gateways Catalog- An entire online catalog of Larimer County virtual events and activities for community members was created so community members could engage virtually, and developed a Tech Buddy team that provided tech support to older adults who need support for their devices to help ensure they could participate in Virtual Gateways catalog events using technology.
• Age-Friendly Workplace Initiative informs business owners and HR teams about the many benefits of hiring and retaining an age-diverse workforce including increased productivity and increased profitability.
• A Larimer County Manufactured Home Resident Handbook was created for residents in mobile home parks to understand rights and resources.
• Lifelong Housing Initiative- working to equip families with tools and an assessment to determine whether staying in one’s home or moving into a supportive living center is best for that homeowner.
• Walkability Assessment near the Foothills Mall Area, in partnership with North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization- community members worked as a team to identify barriers that may exist which prevent their communities from being “walkable” by individuals of all ages and abilities. An assessment was completed near the Foothills Mall area.
• Sound Affects, which connected older adults to professional music performances, with musicians visiting assisted living facilities and retirement communities.
• Virtual Volunteer Pilot Project- this pilot project is to determine if an older adult virtually volunteers actually feels less isolated and more connected to the community.
• Lunch and Learns., which provides a nutritious recipes for participants to make their own lunch while learning more about our community.
• Housing Priority Group, which is educating community members and city planners and zoning personnel about the missing middle housing crisis in Larimer County.

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

The Jacob Center utilized LCING funds to provide specialized services geared towards more than 110 non-system involved youth to build resilience factors including building connections, creating opportunities for mastery, and developing self-regulation capacity. Caregivers participated in an evidenced-based caregiver model, Trust Based Relational Intervention®, allowing them to build their skill set at meeting the significant needs of kids from hard places.

The Health District of Northern Larimer County utilized LCING funds to hire a Behavioral Health provider position in mid-March. to support our Connections and CAYAC Team. Through August 31st, this position has helped 354 youth and adults through behavioral health needs assessments, care coordination, and brief psychotherapy. An example of the success of this program is the story of an individual who sought behavioral health resources due to housing insecurity: “Our Behavioral Health Provider performed a needs assessment and interim treatment services to help stabilize the client until they could be connected to the right care in the community. Additionally, our provider helped to explain the recommended levels of care and supported the client in connecting to support in securing insurance coverage and disability. They also facilitated warm handoffs to the community’s most appropriate permanent supportive housing and behavioral health treatment resources to address the client’s particular needs, ensuring they quickly received the assistance they needed.”

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

The Homeward Alliance utilized LCING funds to support staffing costs of a Health Initiative program and other health related costs such as medical transportation and out-of-pocket medical expenses for people experiencing homelessness (PEH). This program has provided 34 health events at the Murphy Center organized since January 2022 with 389 individuals in attendance. Services include:

• Dental at Your Door- mobile dental program offering comprehensive dental exams and cleanings o North Colorado Health Network- monthly STI/HIV testing
• Health District of Northern Larimer County – monthly COVID vaccine clinics o Project Homeless Connect – one day event with over 15 different health services and screenings available
• Health District of Northern Larimer County – Blood Pressure and Cholesterol clinics
• Salud- mobile unit offers basic vitals, blood sugar, iron tests, wound care, and connection to follow-up appointments
• Larimer County Department of Health and Environment- monthly immunization clinics for HepA, flu, and COVID.
• 101 COVID vaccinations at 10 clinics since January 2022

Since January, over 150 rides (totaling around $6,000) have been provided to guests/clients for transportation to medical appointments with Uber, Lyft, and Z-Trip. The flexibility of this transportation option is very important because the Medicaid “Intelliride” service has limited resources and the need is far greater than what they can support. Examples of qualifying medical rides include:

• Dental appointments
• Vision & eye glasses
• Primary care appointments
• Dialysis
• Podiatry
• Residential treatment
• Inpatient and outpatient treatment
• Salvation Army Medical Respite Program
• COVID vaccinations

This funding has also supported Homeward Alliance’s first ever “Medical Expense Fund,” which supports the costs of care acquired outside what insurance will cover like dentures/implants, medical equipment, and prescription costs. Examples of services provided to individuals with this funding include:

“My client has been complaining about having part of a Qtip stuck in his ear for years. Doctors haven’t believed him due to his mental health diagnosis. However, he recently had a trip to the ER due to a severe headache and the doctor decided to do a scan to rule things out. My client decided not to say anything about the Qtip, because he was worried about being considered “crazy” again. After the scan, the doctor came in and asked why he didn’t mention having something lodged in his ear. My client was shocked that they mentioned it because so many people made him think that he was wrong. The client went on to tell them about getting the Qtip stuck in his ear and how many people had discredited him. He was able to advocate for himself with the ER doctor to get a referral to have the object removed from his ear by an ENT doctor. A few weeks later the foreign object was removed from his ear and the client’s chronic headaches have dramatically improved!”

“I had the pleasure of escorting Sarah to Salud for her first physical in two years. To be able to get to the truth of someone’s medical history that often gets washed over by assumptions of addiction and criminal activity was an eye-opening experience. While it is impossible to walk every client through such a process due to time restraints and limited resources, when I get the opportunity, I find the process well worth my time as it always creates a deeper connection with that client that pays dividends going forward.”

“We have had a client that has been struggling with his mental health for several months and it has bled into every part of his life, including his housing. In the last month, this client was accepted to the CDDT program at SummitStone and it has already made a huge difference for this client. The client attended his first psychiatry appointment yesterday and called me after. He said, “That meeting was hard. The really good hard. The kind where you leave and realize you have bundled a lot of emotions up and feel that weight being release. I know I have needed this for a long time and I hate opening up. I can already see how this will help.” The key to this success was Summitstone being willing to go to the client’s home to meet with him and collaborating with case managers on how to best reach this client. I know this will be something that helps this client with his goals of employment and housing stability. As the client put so perfectly, “It feels like there is some hope. A little bit of light in all of this.”

The Salvation Army of Loveland used LCING funds for the Respite Care Program. Respite Care Program provides emergency hotel lodging, food, and transportation to people experiencing homelessness. The Salvation Army of Loveland initially started the program to assist medically fragile homeless individuals in the Loveland/Berthoud communities by providing them a place to recover from injury, illness, or surgery. Due to the pandemic crisis, Respite Program service area has been expanded to all of Larimer County to provide non-congregate shelter isolation sites for people experiencing homelessness who have tested positive for COVID.

COVID respite care offers protection for the clients but also for the community at large. The homeless are the most vulnerable in society and have nowhere to recover and stay safe during these challenging times. The success of Respite Care Program is directly related to the coordination of services with community partners such as arranging hotel rooms, communicating with referring agencies, healthcare workers and hospitals, delivery of meals, transportation, and other needed services. Larimer County Immediate Needs Grant provided funding to pay for the hotel rooms and for the staff support to facilitate this important work. The Salvation Army of Loveland provided 1,205 nights of non-congregate shelter at hotels to 165 persons experiencing homelessness in Larimer County during the grant period.

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories

IMMEDIATE NEEDS GRANTS: PUBLIC HEALTH

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Larimer County Immediate Needs Grants (LCING) were a lifeline for people and organizations in our community. Using the SLFRF allocation, Larimer County distributed $3.1 million to small businesses, non-profits, and local government to help our community recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The grants have been divided into three categories: Recovery from Health Impacts ($672,000), Recovery from Economic Impact ($2.26 million), and Improvements to Infrastructure to help communities prevent future pandemics ($167,500).

Story

The Poudre Canyon Fire Protection District utilized LCING funds, along with other grant funds, to purchase a new ambulance to replace an aging vehicle that had outlived its intended use. The district reports that, among other safety and operational improvements, “This ambulance with ride control gives the rig added stability that we need on our winding mountain roads. Set it to automatically adjust or dial in adjustment for when we are off road and need extra clearance, which happens often in our mountain community.  Plenty of power when we need it and adding the engine brake is so helpful when coming down our mountain roads. Riding in the back with a patient is therefore easier for our EMT’s. It provides a smooth ride which was appreciated by a patient we had already with a broken hip. Our mountain roads do present a challenge at times and this new rig, with 4-wheel drive, is set up to take the challenge.”

References

• https://www.larimer.gov/budget/frf/immediate-needs-grants-stories