Americorps Vista Program
Project Support
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Executive Summary
Making Dreams Real mission is: To improve community integration and quality of life for adults with mental illness as well as those who are homeless, unemployed or previously incarcerated via a holistic approach that fosters strong relationships and improved self-esteem. The priority area for this project is to fight poverty by engaging those who are homeless and those who are exiting from behavioral health and incarceration facilities and who have one or more barriers and/or obstacles preventing them from escaping the cycle of poverty. This is to be accomplished by addressing these barriers such as hunger, no residential option, unemployed, mental illness, substance abuse and disabilities. The project goals are to create a data base of employers with required skill levels and acceptable disabilities with desired training. Research funding available for a supportive low-income housing development. Three (3) VISTA workers are requested for three (3) years to: ¿ assist in program development and material composition for a wide-range of recovery classes, ¿ develop a detailed data base of area employers with critical data for use by the career center to expedite employment opportunities for students at the Recovery College, ¿ research extensively to ascertain this area¿s mental health needs and the effectiveness of various on-going efforts, ¿ identify and pursue available grants while developing a comprehensive data base of prospective donors and corporate resources to enable the Recovery College to expand the valuable programs and activities currently underway.
Summary of Accomplishments
Making Dreams Real (MDR) planning and design was initiated in June of 2015 by Arthur Horn, previous Executive Director of Four Rivers Outreach, Inc. a non-profit created by Horn in 2006, for adults with substance abuse issues. The non-profit began in a two-bedroom house, then grew to become one of the largest non-profits in Grayson County. Eighty percent of Four Rivers¿ clients also had mental disorders and were homeless, incarcerated or in Behavioral Health Centers without a residential care option. Arthur Horn sought solutions. However, a pure recovery program for adults with mental disorders did not exist in the area. Horn then advocated and researched exclusively recovery models for adults with mental disorders, and established MDR as a Texas Non-Profit Corporation 501(c)3 organization. Vocational classes, job training and placement, including life management with assistance in procuring a residential component began for the students April 1, 2019. Current accomplishments: Leasing an 1,800 square foot building for the Recovery College, One Stop Career Center, Substance Use Disorder, which expands the services of Making Dreams Real from two days a week to six days a week. Retained a full time Director/Instructor for the Career One Stop program and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor for Substance Use Disorder. Trained and certified staff in Emotional CPR (Connect, empower and Revitalization) and peer to peer counseling. Started the Recovery College April 1, 2019 after visiting two Recovery Colleges in the Netherlands as there are not any in the United States that I know of. The Recovery College is about people with mental health difficulties having the same opportunities in life as everyone else. It is about a personal journey towards a meaningful and satisfying life. It is about hope, control, and opportunity. It is about living as well as possible. The workshops and courses we run aim to provide the tools to make this happen, to help you become an expert in your own recovery. The Recovery College Model is the method that will be used in the Mental Health Recovery Program. ¿Recovery Colleges¿ (or ¿Recovery Education Centers¿) have emerged as one of the key service developments to support peoples¿ recovery (Shepherd et al., 2014; Shepherd, in press). Recovery Colleges offer a different way of thinking about the fundamental processes which underlie mental healthcare. The recovery educational model used in Recovery Colleges, focuses directly on helping people (students) pursue their preferred life goals by focusing on their strengths, encouraging them to develop their own understanding of their difficulties and further develop self-management and other skills and resources. Assisted Recovery College students to enroll in college, placed four students in housing, developed Person Centered Care Plans for ten students and provided job placement for six students. During the recent past Making Dreams Real has become a Medicaid ¿Mental Health Rehabilitation Services¿ Provider Home and Community Based Services ¿ Adult Mental Health Provider Medicare ¿Community Mental Health Center¿ Which adds the following services:  Transition Assistance Services  Rehabilitation Services  Psychosocial Rehabilitative Services, Individual  Psychosocial Rehabilitative Services, Group  Adaptive Aids / Medical Supplies  Employment Services  Supported Employment  Employment Assistance  Non-Medical Transportation  Community Psychiatric Supports and Treatment  Peer Support  Community-based Residential Assistance Services  Host Home/Companion Care  Supervised Living Services  Assisted Living services  Supported Home Living  Respite Care  In-home  Out-of-home  Home Delivered Meals  Medicaid  Non-Medicaid  Minor Home Modifications  Nursing  Registered Nurse (RN)  Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)  Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Services (Abuse & Dependence)  Assessments  Individual -  Group-Counseling Designed a 144 supported low-income single bedroom housing development and completed the architectural design, market study and an as completed appraisal. Applied for a direct loan from the State of Texas and received a $50,000 pre-development grant with a goal of beginning construction in the spring of 2021. Begin providing prepared meals on June 15, 2020
Need
A. One (1) VISTA worker will serve as Project Lead for the design, development and implementation of a comprehensive Full Employment Data Base system. This data base will then become the basis for the Career Center staff in providing the entire gamut of job related services to the unemployed target population being served. The VISTA worker will meet on a bi-monthly basis with an involved Advisory Committee to assure comprehensive and total coverage of the area's employers and their support and involvement. The system will be designed to allow for remote access by client/participants as well as allowing employers to edit or add new data, thereby making the system one that remains current over time and of tremendous value to all unemployed users and employers. Additionally, the VISTA worker will be required to research extensively the entire north Texas and southern Oklahoma areas to determine the entire scope of mental health needs in the area, current needs being met and those not being met in order to assure that the Full Employment Data Base system is addressing those unmet needs with employment solutions. The VISTA worker will also collaborate with other Career Center staff to develop all training and Recovery College classes that has been identified during the formation of the Full Employment Data Base as being essential and of critical value. Lastly, the VISTA worker will be expected to identify and pursue any grants, corporate resources and/or prospective private-public sector donors that could provide financial stimulus to the Making Dreams Real's valuable programs, services and activities that are currently underway or planned and awaiting funding.
B. Two (2) VISTA workers will work in tandem to design and formulate an extensive capital fundraising component that will finance the acquisition of land and eventual construction of all facilities named in the Master Plan of Making Dreams Real, Inc. This ambitious Master Plan calls for the purchase of 77 acres of land and the construction of a 24,000 square foot Mental Health Recovery College and a 144 one-bedroom supportive low-income housing development. Additionally, the three-pronged business arm of the project calls for the development and construction of education and training facilities for auto restoration, hydroponic farming and the equine/canine center. These three businesses are expected to eventually financially support the Recovery College and provide its own sustainability while providing life-long employment opportunities for the students of each branch. The VISTA workers will meet regularly with an Advisory and Support Team that they assist in assembling to ensure total success in an expedient and efficient manner. The VISTA workers will be expected to be proficient in marketing, public relations, research, finances, project development and communications with above-average computer and technology skills. The needs represented in this request are based on the information and data that follows: Community Making Dreams Real Plans to Serve Grayson, Cooke and Fannin Counties of Texas According to American Fact Finder: Grayson County Texas Population 123,300 All individuals with income below the following poverty 50% of poverty level - 6,918 125% of poverty level - 24,473 All families with income below the following poverty ratios 50% of poverty level - 1,219 125% of poverty level - 4,881 Veterans living in poverty 10,080 Cooke County Texas Population 38,242 All individuals with income below the following poverty 50% of poverty level - 1,832 125% of poverty level - 7,013 All families with income below the following poverty ratios 50% of poverty level - 452 125% of poverty level - 1,519 Veterans living in poverty 2,457 Fannin County Texas Population 30,850 All individuals with income below the following poverty 50% of poverty level - 1,846 125% of poverty level - 6,620 All families with income below the following poverty ratios 50% of poverty level - 289 125% of poverty level - 1,256 Veterans living in poverty 2,820 According to the Texoma Homeless Coalition's 2020 Point in Time Count for Grayson, Fannin and Cooke Counties, Texas there were 197 homeless individuals. According to the Grayson County Sheriff's department there are approximately: * 88 to 102 mental health inmates in the jail every day. * 79.3% will serve less than 12 Months. Back on the Street to be arrested again * 44% Current or previous Violent Offenses * 26% 3 or more arrests some are at 50+ arrests, they have committed minor violations and spend 90 to 180 days in jail until their court date. Most are then released back into a low resource community. This low resource community has limited access to housing, innovative mental health recovery, wellness program, proper nutrition and transportation. This results in the individual processing in and out of jail. One individual has been in jail 232 times. Making Dreams Real will provide the resources and treatment to take the individuals to a life of self-sufficiency through innovative recovery methods. Person # 1 ➢ 70 arrests ➢ Misdemeanor-101 Felony-14 ➢ 22 Criminal Trespass Person # 2 ➢ 31 arrests ➢ Misdemeanor-52 Felony-4 ➢ 9 Criminal Trespass 11 Failure to ID Most of these inmates not only have mental health issues but are also homeless According to Texoma Medical Center's Behavioral Health Center approximately 40 individuals are exited on a monthly basis with 20 individuals do not have a residential option therefore they become homeless wondering the streets to be incarcerated or recommitted to the Behavior Health Center. Grayson County Demographics according to Texoma Council of Government: There are 893 residents for every mental health provider Residents have 4.6 poor mental health days per month. 14,400 or 12% of Grayson County adult residents live with some form of mental health disorder and of these 7,200 cannot function at work, school, or in the community due to their illness. Therefore, as there are only approximately 3,000 are receiving some level of care by The Community Center which leaves approximately 11,000 that do not have access to mental health care, many of these are homeless. ➢ The population of Grayson County is 131,140 less Denison -- 24,380 and Sherman -- 41,917 leaving a rural population of 64,843. Using the national statistics of 1 in 5 adults have some form of mental illness that is 12,969 rural residents of Grayson County have some level of mental illness. According to Behavioral Health Centers 20% of their patients are from the rural area of Grayson County and the are approximately 3,000 rural patients treated per year that leaves 9,969 rural residents without access to treatment. Fannin County with a population of 34,446 does not have a city with 20,000 or more residents therefore the complete county is a rural area with approximately 6,889 rural residents with some level of mental illness. There are approximately 500 mental health residents receiving mental health treatment. Cooke County with a population of 39,895 does not have a city with 20,000 or more residents therefore the complete county is a rural area with approximately 7,979 rural residents with some level of mental illness. There are approximately 400 mental health residents receiving mental health treatment. The specific low-income population Making Dreams Real proposes to serve are individuals that are homeless, individuals that have mental health issues and are homeless, and incarcerated and upon release become homeless. Veterans living at or below the poverty level many with PTSD and experiencing homelessness. Unmet Needs There are only 2 shelters in the Grayson County Area Grayson County Shelter which has 31 beds and they require an ID, Drug Test and a criminal background which excludes many of the homeless individuals. Salvation Army with 21 beds requiring an ID and Drug Test and are charged $10.00 a day which is delayed for a week giving the resident time to find employment. This leaves a minimum of 175 homeless individuals without a residential care option. Recently a homeless encampment was dismantled in Grayson County, a group of residents found a property outside of town and put up some tents for this group of individuals. This is a wonderful gesture and much appreciated but only a temporary solution for a permanent need. Many of the homeless have co-occurring issues including substance abuse disorder for which there are 2 treatment centers in our community serving a maximum of 40 individuals with only 10 beds for ladies. The mental health system is totally overwhelmed with 11,000 residents with some level of mental health issues and only a capacity for 2,000 non-recurring clients and as many are recurring clients this stretches the system past the breaking point. There is not a mental health recovery program in our community only treatment programs. Proposed Project The AmeriCorps VISTA Program Guidance is to alleviate poverty which encompasses many different issues, some have lost their employment and their hope, some of those have lost their residentials' due to loss of employment, others cannot work due to their mental illness and/or substance abuse. The program of Making Dreams Real understands that poverty has many dimensions and requires that the individual has a targeted program that fits their needs and that the individual is empowered to pursue the path and change needed to overcome poverty. The total reason for Making Dreams Real is to assist individuals to overcome poverty and all the destruction that it brings in their lives. Summary Making Dreams Real position is that the first step in helping those in poverty is to win their trust. The process that is to be used is the Recovery College model that began in Europe in 2010 and now there are approximately 80 of these colleges in Europe with evidence-based programs. The recovery success rate is from 70 to 80% depending on the college. Arthur Horn went to the Netherlands in 2018 for a week visiting two of these colleges; Enik Recovery College in Utrecht, Netherlands and Fameus Recovery College in Tilburg, Netherlands Recovery Colleges" (or "Recovery Education Centers") have emerged as one of the key service developments to support peoples' recovery (Shepherd et al., 2014; Shepherd, in press). Recovery Colleges offer a different way of thinking about the fundamental processes which underlie mental healthcare and homelessness. The recovery educational model used in Recovery Colleges, focuses directly on helping people (students) pursue their preferred life goals by focusing on their strengths, encouraging them to develop their own understanding of their difficulties and further develop self-management and other skills and resources. The Recovery College is about people with homelessness compounded by mental health difficulties or as Doctor Szasz stated not mental illness but problems in living, having the same opportunities in life as everyone else. It is about a personal journey towards a meaningful and satisfying life. It is about hope, control and opportunity. It is about living as well as possible. The workshops and courses we run aim to provide the tools to make this happen, to help you become an expert in your own recovery. Our college offers a learning approach that complements the existing services provided by Making Dreams Real and is at the heart of everything we do. Every course and workshop we offer is co-designed and co-run by trainers with lived experience working alongside students and peer counselors. Our courses are free of charge and open to: The person becomes a student and is not identified as a patient, client or homeless. The person in concert with a counselor develops their life goals designated a Person-Centered Care Plan. The college offers classes such as how to deal with and manage anxiety, depression, fear and a range of emotions and overcoming homelessness. The path to their goals is mapped out with navigational aids to deal with each emotion and issue, as life is not linear but liquid and sometimes, we encounter storms and barriers that interrupt our path. A tutor (peer counselor) is provided to assist the student in addressing these issues and get back on course. The student is in charge and this as an evidenced based program with a 70% success rate. Additional classes that are offered are GED, vocational, job training and placement, including life management. The philosophy of Making Dreams Real Recovery College is a non-judgmental accepting and peaceful atmosphere with the students designing their own recovery plan to wholeness. This includes a wellness check to ensure the individual is healthy and if not, a wellness plan is developed. The students are supported in their emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, residential and economic areas of their lives. The college has discovered that eight students and a peer facilitator is the optimum class size for learning and recovery. Each class is interactive with the students not only learning but sharing their experiences Recovery is a multidimensional concept which includes self-esteem, adjustment to disability, empowerment, and self-determination (Anthony, 1993). The principles of the recovery approach, which include the importance of good relationships, education, employment and purpose alongside reductions in clinical symptoms, can apply to all age groups and conditions (Department of Health, 2011). In a recovery-oriented system for those with problems in living, each service seeks to ameliorate people's impairment, dysfunction, disability, and disadvantage (Anthony, 1993), so that they can achieve a meaningful life, focused on wellness instead of illness (Amering and Schmolke, 2009). In this sense, the introduction of Recovery Colleges has revolutionized the way people can be supported to live the lives they want to lead. Using an educational paradigm, Recovery Colleges inspire students to develop a different relationship with their condition, a wider range of coping skills, greater confidence and knowledge, to overcome challenges, and strive towards their own goals Robert Wood Johnson Foundation conducted extensive research that proved when individuals become employed their physical and mental health improves 40%. Making Dreams Real has a Career One Stop Center for job training and placement. Making Dreams Real has designed a 144 one bedroom low-income multi-family rental development, has land under contract and projected beginning construction in January 2021.
B. Two (2) VISTA workers will work in tandem to design and formulate an extensive capital fundraising component that will finance the acquisition of land and eventual construction of all facilities named in the Master Plan of Making Dreams Real, Inc. This ambitious Master Plan calls for the purchase of 77 acres of land and the construction of a 24,000 square foot Mental Health Recovery College and a 144 one-bedroom supportive low-income housing development. Additionally, the three-pronged business arm of the project calls for the development and construction of education and training facilities for auto restoration, hydroponic farming and the equine/canine center. These three businesses are expected to eventually financially support the Recovery College and provide its own sustainability while providing life-long employment opportunities for the students of each branch. The VISTA workers will meet regularly with an Advisory and Support Team that they assist in assembling to ensure total success in an expedient and efficient manner. The VISTA workers will be expected to be proficient in marketing, public relations, research, finances, project development and communications with above-average computer and technology skills. The needs represented in this request are based on the information and data that follows: Community Making Dreams Real Plans to Serve Grayson, Cooke and Fannin Counties of Texas According to American Fact Finder: Grayson County Texas Population 123,300 All individuals with income below the following poverty 50% of poverty level - 6,918 125% of poverty level - 24,473 All families with income below the following poverty ratios 50% of poverty level - 1,219 125% of poverty level - 4,881 Veterans living in poverty 10,080 Cooke County Texas Population 38,242 All individuals with income below the following poverty 50% of poverty level - 1,832 125% of poverty level - 7,013 All families with income below the following poverty ratios 50% of poverty level - 452 125% of poverty level - 1,519 Veterans living in poverty 2,457 Fannin County Texas Population 30,850 All individuals with income below the following poverty 50% of poverty level - 1,846 125% of poverty level - 6,620 All families with income below the following poverty ratios 50% of poverty level - 289 125% of poverty level - 1,256 Veterans living in poverty 2,820 According to the Texoma Homeless Coalition's 2020 Point in Time Count for Grayson, Fannin and Cooke Counties, Texas there were 197 homeless individuals. According to the Grayson County Sheriff's department there are approximately: * 88 to 102 mental health inmates in the jail every day. * 79.3% will serve less than 12 Months. Back on the Street to be arrested again * 44% Current or previous Violent Offenses * 26% 3 or more arrests some are at 50+ arrests, they have committed minor violations and spend 90 to 180 days in jail until their court date. Most are then released back into a low resource community. This low resource community has limited access to housing, innovative mental health recovery, wellness program, proper nutrition and transportation. This results in the individual processing in and out of jail. One individual has been in jail 232 times. Making Dreams Real will provide the resources and treatment to take the individuals to a life of self-sufficiency through innovative recovery methods. Person # 1 ➢ 70 arrests ➢ Misdemeanor-101 Felony-14 ➢ 22 Criminal Trespass Person # 2 ➢ 31 arrests ➢ Misdemeanor-52 Felony-4 ➢ 9 Criminal Trespass 11 Failure to ID Most of these inmates not only have mental health issues but are also homeless According to Texoma Medical Center's Behavioral Health Center approximately 40 individuals are exited on a monthly basis with 20 individuals do not have a residential option therefore they become homeless wondering the streets to be incarcerated or recommitted to the Behavior Health Center. Grayson County Demographics according to Texoma Council of Government: There are 893 residents for every mental health provider Residents have 4.6 poor mental health days per month. 14,400 or 12% of Grayson County adult residents live with some form of mental health disorder and of these 7,200 cannot function at work, school, or in the community due to their illness. Therefore, as there are only approximately 3,000 are receiving some level of care by The Community Center which leaves approximately 11,000 that do not have access to mental health care, many of these are homeless. ➢ The population of Grayson County is 131,140 less Denison -- 24,380 and Sherman -- 41,917 leaving a rural population of 64,843. Using the national statistics of 1 in 5 adults have some form of mental illness that is 12,969 rural residents of Grayson County have some level of mental illness. According to Behavioral Health Centers 20% of their patients are from the rural area of Grayson County and the are approximately 3,000 rural patients treated per year that leaves 9,969 rural residents without access to treatment. Fannin County with a population of 34,446 does not have a city with 20,000 or more residents therefore the complete county is a rural area with approximately 6,889 rural residents with some level of mental illness. There are approximately 500 mental health residents receiving mental health treatment. Cooke County with a population of 39,895 does not have a city with 20,000 or more residents therefore the complete county is a rural area with approximately 7,979 rural residents with some level of mental illness. There are approximately 400 mental health residents receiving mental health treatment. The specific low-income population Making Dreams Real proposes to serve are individuals that are homeless, individuals that have mental health issues and are homeless, and incarcerated and upon release become homeless. Veterans living at or below the poverty level many with PTSD and experiencing homelessness. Unmet Needs There are only 2 shelters in the Grayson County Area Grayson County Shelter which has 31 beds and they require an ID, Drug Test and a criminal background which excludes many of the homeless individuals. Salvation Army with 21 beds requiring an ID and Drug Test and are charged $10.00 a day which is delayed for a week giving the resident time to find employment. This leaves a minimum of 175 homeless individuals without a residential care option. Recently a homeless encampment was dismantled in Grayson County, a group of residents found a property outside of town and put up some tents for this group of individuals. This is a wonderful gesture and much appreciated but only a temporary solution for a permanent need. Many of the homeless have co-occurring issues including substance abuse disorder for which there are 2 treatment centers in our community serving a maximum of 40 individuals with only 10 beds for ladies. The mental health system is totally overwhelmed with 11,000 residents with some level of mental health issues and only a capacity for 2,000 non-recurring clients and as many are recurring clients this stretches the system past the breaking point. There is not a mental health recovery program in our community only treatment programs. Proposed Project The AmeriCorps VISTA Program Guidance is to alleviate poverty which encompasses many different issues, some have lost their employment and their hope, some of those have lost their residentials' due to loss of employment, others cannot work due to their mental illness and/or substance abuse. The program of Making Dreams Real understands that poverty has many dimensions and requires that the individual has a targeted program that fits their needs and that the individual is empowered to pursue the path and change needed to overcome poverty. The total reason for Making Dreams Real is to assist individuals to overcome poverty and all the destruction that it brings in their lives. Summary Making Dreams Real position is that the first step in helping those in poverty is to win their trust. The process that is to be used is the Recovery College model that began in Europe in 2010 and now there are approximately 80 of these colleges in Europe with evidence-based programs. The recovery success rate is from 70 to 80% depending on the college. Arthur Horn went to the Netherlands in 2018 for a week visiting two of these colleges; Enik Recovery College in Utrecht, Netherlands and Fameus Recovery College in Tilburg, Netherlands Recovery Colleges" (or "Recovery Education Centers") have emerged as one of the key service developments to support peoples' recovery (Shepherd et al., 2014; Shepherd, in press). Recovery Colleges offer a different way of thinking about the fundamental processes which underlie mental healthcare and homelessness. The recovery educational model used in Recovery Colleges, focuses directly on helping people (students) pursue their preferred life goals by focusing on their strengths, encouraging them to develop their own understanding of their difficulties and further develop self-management and other skills and resources. The Recovery College is about people with homelessness compounded by mental health difficulties or as Doctor Szasz stated not mental illness but problems in living, having the same opportunities in life as everyone else. It is about a personal journey towards a meaningful and satisfying life. It is about hope, control and opportunity. It is about living as well as possible. The workshops and courses we run aim to provide the tools to make this happen, to help you become an expert in your own recovery. Our college offers a learning approach that complements the existing services provided by Making Dreams Real and is at the heart of everything we do. Every course and workshop we offer is co-designed and co-run by trainers with lived experience working alongside students and peer counselors. Our courses are free of charge and open to: The person becomes a student and is not identified as a patient, client or homeless. The person in concert with a counselor develops their life goals designated a Person-Centered Care Plan. The college offers classes such as how to deal with and manage anxiety, depression, fear and a range of emotions and overcoming homelessness. The path to their goals is mapped out with navigational aids to deal with each emotion and issue, as life is not linear but liquid and sometimes, we encounter storms and barriers that interrupt our path. A tutor (peer counselor) is provided to assist the student in addressing these issues and get back on course. The student is in charge and this as an evidenced based program with a 70% success rate. Additional classes that are offered are GED, vocational, job training and placement, including life management. The philosophy of Making Dreams Real Recovery College is a non-judgmental accepting and peaceful atmosphere with the students designing their own recovery plan to wholeness. This includes a wellness check to ensure the individual is healthy and if not, a wellness plan is developed. The students are supported in their emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social, residential and economic areas of their lives. The college has discovered that eight students and a peer facilitator is the optimum class size for learning and recovery. Each class is interactive with the students not only learning but sharing their experiences Recovery is a multidimensional concept which includes self-esteem, adjustment to disability, empowerment, and self-determination (Anthony, 1993). The principles of the recovery approach, which include the importance of good relationships, education, employment and purpose alongside reductions in clinical symptoms, can apply to all age groups and conditions (Department of Health, 2011). In a recovery-oriented system for those with problems in living, each service seeks to ameliorate people's impairment, dysfunction, disability, and disadvantage (Anthony, 1993), so that they can achieve a meaningful life, focused on wellness instead of illness (Amering and Schmolke, 2009). In this sense, the introduction of Recovery Colleges has revolutionized the way people can be supported to live the lives they want to lead. Using an educational paradigm, Recovery Colleges inspire students to develop a different relationship with their condition, a wider range of coping skills, greater confidence and knowledge, to overcome challenges, and strive towards their own goals Robert Wood Johnson Foundation conducted extensive research that proved when individuals become employed their physical and mental health improves 40%. Making Dreams Real has a Career One Stop Center for job training and placement. Making Dreams Real has designed a 144 one bedroom low-income multi-family rental development, has land under contract and projected beginning construction in January 2021.
Strengthening Communities
Strengthening Communities The VISTA project will both compliment and expand the current efforts in the community to address the needs described. The most critical and outstanding needs presently identified are: homelessness, unemployment, lack of suitable housing, substance use disorder and mental health issues of various types. Making Dreams Real position is that homelessness is a mindset and as Steven Bouma-Prediger in Beyond Homelessness states "When will we experience a new exodus from our present homeless bondage to the freedom of homemaking? When will the poor and dispossessed hear good news and experience the homecoming reality of the event of home not just a house in their lives?" Providing shelter and/or a house is wonderful but if the individual does not experience home and family the individual is still homeless. Making Dreams Real design is to create a sense of family and belonging to those that are homeless in a non-judgmental peaceful environment. VISTAs will be of great value by recruiting and training volunteers to be family to these individuals. We envision that this would result in their integration into the community so that they become part of the social fabric. One of the areas of accomplishment of Making Dreams Real is getting the community to understand that displaced individuals are not throw away people but someone to be embraced and loved no matter their position. This part of the project is to make the individual visible and embrace them. This Recovery College has a complete prospectus of available classes and just as in a regular college each individual will meet with a counselor and design a Person-Centered Care Plan of what they want to accomplish and their career path. The counselor will only suggest the classes needed to accomplish their goals and dreams. Making Dreams Real also has a Career One Stop for job training and placement. The VISTAs involvement is to assist in expanding the curriculum and creating a data base of employers that would employ the students. Making Dreams Real has a Memorandum of Agreement with Homeward Bound of Dallas for de-tox and substance abuse disorder to assist the individual to overcome their addiction and start a life of recovery. Making Dreams Real is a Medicaid/Medicare Provider and a Home and Community Based-Services -- Adult Mental Health Provider which covers and pays for all of the below listed services. The following services are available and serve to create a sustainable program: Transitional Assistance Services Rehabilitation Services Psychosocial Rehabilitative Services Individual Psychosocial Rehabilitative Services Group Adaptive Aids/Medical Supplies Employment Services Supportive Employment Employment Assistance Non-Medical Transportation Community Psychiatric Supports and Treatment Peer Support Community-based Residential Assistance Services Host Home/Companion Care Supervised Living Services Assisted Living Services Supported Home Living Respite Care -- In and Out of Home 24 Hour Residential Habilitation Home Home delivered meals Minor Home Modifications Registered Nurse Licensed Vocational Nurse Substance Use Disorder Services Assessment Individual and Group Recovery Assistance to quit smoking Access to fresh food and produce Development and implementation of a wellness program Long-term sustainability of this VISTA project will be facilitated by the housing development of 144 one-bedroom houses that is designed to generate a net cash flow of $125,000.00 per year which will sustain the housing development and related programs and activities far into the future. Financial institutions, lenders and investors require that reserve funds are available to sustain the project and maintain its viability for a minimum of 15 years. Additionally, the residents will be permitted to live in the housing as long as they desire. This development is designed to create community as it provides beautiful landscaping, walking trails and even a park where residents can cook out and enjoy each other¿s company. The three-pronged business aspect of the project (auto restoration, hydroponic farming and equine/canine center) will provide employment, training and the development of skill sets that will enable the students to maintain employment in any area of the country they decide to live and for the duration of their working lives. Additionally, the Full Employment Data Base project will be designed to be fluid in nature and under continuous updating and editing to assure users (both unemployed students and employers) that the content is current, accurate and of value. The three (3) VISTA workers, who will be working in two separate key components (Full Employment Data Base and Capital Fundraising for the Community of Possibilities), will be directed, trained and assisted by key staff of Making Dreams Real and mentors from the community as well. Equally critical is the oversight and direction provided by both of the Committees that will be close advisors to the VISTAs. As such, the project is subject to change over time as the needs and the priorities are evaluated by both Committees and the management of Making Dreams Real. It is reasonable to expect unforeseen events and situations to occur that will require adjustments and changes in order to constantly provide the most caring and beneficial services to the target group of individuals being served.
Recruitment and Development
Several colleges and universities (Austin College, University of North Texas, Texas Woman¿s University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Texas A&M Commerce) are in the Making Dreams Real area, and all have placement offices. MDR will work with each of these to cement strong working relationships that will better serve their graduates with prospective employment and to meet the employment needs of Making Dreams Real. These entities will be a strong source of applicants who majored and excelled in the fields that would fit the skills needed for the Vista program at Making Dreams Real. Senior citizens and other retirees who have worked at non-profit organizations or in the higher levels of corporate America will be sought by using the networking resources available through the extensive community involvement of the staff of Making Dreams Real. The skill sets needed by Vista workers include stellar communication skills, both creative writing and public speaking skills. Making Dreams Real would recommend and support Vista workers actively participation in the area Toast Masters organization in order to hone their public speaking skills. Strong computer skills and an evidenced-proficiency in Word, Excel, Publisher, and Acrobat are critical and would be expected; however, much of the technology skills could be taught if necessary as part of their daily work. Equally important to technology skills is that the Vista workers need to be visionaries who can think outside the box and can work independently or in a team-collaboration setting equally well. An outgoing personality with the ability to meet people one-on-one or in groups, both large and small, and articulate the Mission and Vision of Making Dreams Real would be considered paramount. Qualified Vista workers who have disabilities will find that Making Dreams Real¿s facilities are conveniently located in a one-level shopping center with handicapped parking at the front door. All other office facilities are handicapped accessible as well. Grayson County has a limited and inefficient public transportation system; therefore, Making Dreams Real would provide the necessary transportation costs, or pay the mileage based on 2020 federal mileage rates of 57.5 cents per mile if they had a vehicle. The Vista worker would not be required to use their private vehicle for conducting Making Dreams Real business. Estimated travel per month for a Vista worker would be 200 miles or less. Orientation would include an extensive introduction to the Grayson County community if necessary. A Vista worker unfamiliar with the geographical aspects of this community would be given ample time, resources and assistance to become familiar with all public buildings, facilities and personnel at all service organizations and public-sector facilities. Understanding the many aspects of MDR and each staff member¿s duties, the equipment available, passwords, location of supplies and software programs would be an on-going component of orientation. Buying into the Mission and Vision Statements, including the goals and strategies of Making Dreams Real, would be paramount to the eventual effectiveness and success of the Vista workers. Vista workers will be given an extensive analysis of the design of the supportive low-income housing development and planned location. Introductions to the Board of Directors would allow the Vista interns to highlight their expertise and visions of how they can help Making Dreams Real grow and expand. All current activities including the status of existing grants, grants in progress and future grants to be submitted including the areas of focus will be a vital part of the mandated Orientation. In-house training will involve being updated on everything in the area¿s business community, i.e., the types of businesses and corporations that are in Grayson County, and their key personnel. The Career Center Director will train each Vista worker in the Career One-Stop job training programs and the methods to be used to contact employers. Making Dreams Real is a mental health Recovery College with a summary description of all the classes offered and the Vista workers¿ training will be on writing detailed curriculum. Recovery Colleges are prevalent in Europe, especially the UK. The Vistas will be provided contact information for these colleges and Skype or Zoom meetings set up to discuss and access their curriculum. The Vistas will be trained on the donor data base software which features tracking donors, when donors are contacted and their response, thank you letters, follow-up and other features. This software has technical assistance available if needed. Training in fund development for the housing development with funders that provide capital for construction will be an integral part of the training and orientation as well, along with methods to contact corporations for donated equipment, materials, and supplies. A list of corporations that manufacturer building equipment and materials is available that will facilitate this effort. Making Dreams Real has retained a firm to assist in developing this fund development. Training in digital marketing and using social media effectively will be a key training component as well. Training in Grant writing would be conducted by Arthur Horn and Tommy Ellis who have a combined of 30 years of experience. Austin College located in Sherman has a grant writing program that consists of training and a national data base of available grants. Making Dreams Real is connected and has access to this data base and ongoing training with Austin College. Every year Austin College conducts a two day seminar on grant writing which we would send the Vista¿s.
VISTA Assignment
Key Objectives:
One (1) VISTA worker will be named the Project Lead of the Full Employment Data Base initiative and will be tasked with its overall design, development, formulation and implementation that will provide the Career Center staff with unprecedented, timely and accurate data to better serve the ever-growing target base and all area employers, both public and private. The data base will be designed to allow remote or off-site access by students and employers alike, thus making it a truly user-friendly tool for both segments of the workforce. It is even envisioned that the Full Employment Data Base would be designed to allow students with access to the system to search/seek jobs on their own and at their convenience and for employers to update/edit their particular data. The VISTA worker will examine and approve all data for permanent storage. The VISTA worker will develop and maintain a productive working relationship with a select advisory committee of community and professional practitioners to insure not only community and corporate cooperation but their participation as well. The Project Lead/VISTA worker will fully involve the local Workforce Solutions Texoma operation to identify and acquire key data base information as well as their professional expertise. This VISTA worker will explore the viability of creating a special association of employers of skilled trades (Texoma Association of Skilled Trades Employers) that would enable employees to maintain insurance and other benefits when transferring from one employer to another within the Association. This Association could then be instrumental in creating specialized apprenticeship programs for its members, i.e. electrical, plumbing, HVAC , building trades, etc. Eventually, an insurance and retirement program could evolve from this Association for its workers as well. Additionally, the VISTA worker will identify specific training needs by area employers and then assist as a key member of the Curriculum Committee in formulating applicable training material and coursework for the Recovery College classes. The VISTA worker will also be expected to identify potential funding resources and lead the pursuit of those funds, i.e. corporate donors, community organizations and various grants, i.e., local, state and federal, in an effort to financially improve existing programs, services and activities while developing new ones as finances permit. The Project Lead of the Full Employment Data Base would also be expected to participate in local and area-wide organizations whose members are human resource professionals. Lastly, the Project Lead/VISTA worker would be responsible for reporting project information to the Board of Directors of Making Dreams Real, the project's Advisory Committee, various media and to any employer requesting such information. Stellar communication skills will be expected along with outstanding organizational, research and public relations skill sets. During the final year (Year 3) of the Project, the VISTA worker will design and conduct an in-depth and comprehensive evaluation of the project to verify/confirm the Project's merit and worth. This evaluation will identify any shortcomings or deficiencies of the Project, thus requiring adjustments, changes and improvements to be made by the VISTA worker as well as possible needs going unaddressed, i.e., apprenticeship programs or on-the-job training opportunities. Likewise, a marketing emphasis by the VISTA worker of the Targeted Jobs Tax Credit program and the financial benefits to employers and is envisioned to increase their levels of participation. Identified and documented Project successes will then be used to solicit even more support and participation from the corporate community thus aiding in the project's sustainability. Vistas #2 & 3 Making Dreams Real will introduce Vistas to Community resources and needs Fund Development for Supportive Low-Income Housing Develop donor data bases Contact Community Leaders Attend Community Functions Develop Marketing Campaign Vistas will be furnished an office, computers and resources needed to perform at a high level.
One (1) VISTA worker will be named the Project Lead of the Full Employment Data Base initiative and will be tasked with its overall design, development, formulation and implementation that will provide the Career Center staff with unprecedented, timely and accurate data to better serve the ever-growing target base and all area employers, both public and private. The data base will be designed to allow remote or off-site access by students and employers alike, thus making it a truly user-friendly tool for both segments of the workforce. It is even envisioned that the Full Employment Data Base would be designed to allow students with access to the system to search/seek jobs on their own and at their convenience and for employers to update/edit their particular data. The VISTA worker will examine and approve all data for permanent storage. The VISTA worker will develop and maintain a productive working relationship with a select advisory committee of community and professional practitioners to insure not only community and corporate cooperation but their participation as well. The Project Lead/VISTA worker will fully involve the local Workforce Solutions Texoma operation to identify and acquire key data base information as well as their professional expertise. This VISTA worker will explore the viability of creating a special association of employers of skilled trades (Texoma Association of Skilled Trades Employers) that would enable employees to maintain insurance and other benefits when transferring from one employer to another within the Association. This Association could then be instrumental in creating specialized apprenticeship programs for its members, i.e. electrical, plumbing, HVAC , building trades, etc. Eventually, an insurance and retirement program could evolve from this Association for its workers as well. Additionally, the VISTA worker will identify specific training needs by area employers and then assist as a key member of the Curriculum Committee in formulating applicable training material and coursework for the Recovery College classes. The VISTA worker will also be expected to identify potential funding resources and lead the pursuit of those funds, i.e. corporate donors, community organizations and various grants, i.e., local, state and federal, in an effort to financially improve existing programs, services and activities while developing new ones as finances permit. The Project Lead of the Full Employment Data Base would also be expected to participate in local and area-wide organizations whose members are human resource professionals. Lastly, the Project Lead/VISTA worker would be responsible for reporting project information to the Board of Directors of Making Dreams Real, the project's Advisory Committee, various media and to any employer requesting such information. Stellar communication skills will be expected along with outstanding organizational, research and public relations skill sets. During the final year (Year 3) of the Project, the VISTA worker will design and conduct an in-depth and comprehensive evaluation of the project to verify/confirm the Project's merit and worth. This evaluation will identify any shortcomings or deficiencies of the Project, thus requiring adjustments, changes and improvements to be made by the VISTA worker as well as possible needs going unaddressed, i.e., apprenticeship programs or on-the-job training opportunities. Likewise, a marketing emphasis by the VISTA worker of the Targeted Jobs Tax Credit program and the financial benefits to employers and is envisioned to increase their levels of participation. Identified and documented Project successes will then be used to solicit even more support and participation from the corporate community thus aiding in the project's sustainability. Vistas #2 & 3 Making Dreams Real will introduce Vistas to Community resources and needs Fund Development for Supportive Low-Income Housing Develop donor data bases Contact Community Leaders Attend Community Functions Develop Marketing Campaign Vistas will be furnished an office, computers and resources needed to perform at a high level.
Project Management
All supervision, training, monitoring and assessment will be directly overseen and coordinated by Arthur Horn, Executive Director of Making Dreams Real, Inc. Specific training and guidance will also be provided by Mr. Horn regarding the ¿Investment Proposal for the Community of Possibilities¿ that two (2) of the VISTA workers will be fully immersed. A special Vista Oversight Committee will be established to provide continuous and on-going direction and professional input to insure the workers have specific goals and objectives and resources to accomplish those aims. The Vista Oversight Committee will be comprised of twenty (20) members representing local industry, workforce development, housing, mental health providers, education, construction, banking/finance and key elected officials. Convening bi-monthly, the VISTA workers will provide updates on current matters and gather information for performing their tasks. This Committee will be tasked with monitoring and assessing the VISTAS performance and progress as well as providing direction for improvement. Additionally, each VISTA worker will be provided a Mentor from within the community who will provide specific expertise and the personal contact needed to be effective in the area we serve. In addition to the Executive Director of Making Dreams Real, the Vista Oversight Committee and the individual Vista-Mentors, the VISTA workers will also have continuous access to and supervision from other staff members of Making Dreams Real who will also provide another level of monitoring and assessment. They are: Vicki James, Administrative Assistant, will partner with the VISTA workers to assist them in all administrative and technical matters. Tommy Ellis, Career Center Director with a MS degree in Labor Economics and Industrial Relations, will provide specific training, supervision and guidance to the VISTA worker developing the Full Employment Data Base and all the associated duties, described elsewhere in this proposal. Victoria Keys, a licensed chemical dependence counselor, will assist the VISTA workers in the need for subsidized housing and how to connect and educate the community on methods to develop the capacity for addressing these needs. Mr. Horn will ensure that all levels of monitoring and assessment of the VISTA workers progress are conducted in an open and constructive manner that will result in higher levels of production and effectiveness. The strategy to be employed to ensure VISTAS are prepared for their assignments will even include the use of Austin College¿s grant database for researching grants all local resources. The vast resources of this outstanding local college have been committed to this project to ensure its overall success. Arthur Horn and Tommy Ellis have been writing grants for over 10 years and will conduct training, assistance, and support for the VISTA workers in the details of their assignments. Arthur Horn has not only 20 years in the non-profit world but also 40 years in construction management. The supportive low-income development is designed with market studies and appraisals completed and a preliminary investment portfolio completed. Arthur will train the VISTAS in corporate procurement and donor-based investments. All staff will meet weekly with the VISTAS for a discussion and evaluation of their progress on addressing their assignments, past and upcoming ones alike. Each staff member will be available to assist at any time with any issues the VISTAS may encounter, either professionally or personally. The entire staff of Making Dreams Real and its board of directors are 100% committed to providing each VISTA worker with all the resources, tools, supervision, guidance, training and leadership that they require in order to have a successful experience. Additionally, the Vista Oversight Committee members and the community Mentors assigned to the VISTAS will complete the umbrella of training, monitoring and assessing of the job performance of the workers. Making Dreams Real is not aware of any other agencies that have a VISTA program in our community but does have a relationship with all the agencies and the knowledge of resources available. Housing is an issue as there is a shortage of 150 single bedroom houses with a waiting list of 3 to 4 months to obtain low-income housing. Unfortunately, those with mental health and substance abuse histories are often excluded from obtaining housing. Officials within Grayson County are involved on a limited basis with the homeless situation but awareness of the magnitude of the issue is apparently not widely known. The low-income community is totally involved in the project plan and execution of the project. Two of Making Dreams Real board members come from the low-income community and the advice of the homeless and formally incarcerated is faithfully sought for each program and project. Progress Assessment Plan for the Full Employment Data Base: ¿ Number of employers contacted per week, number of job openings, etc. ¿ Number of employers participating in the initial interview ¿ Number of employers committing to employing Making Dreams Real students ¿ Assessment of meaningful versus non-meaningful jobs ¿ Number of students completing training ¿ Number of students obtaining employment ¿ Monthly survey of employers satisfied with Making Dreams Real students ¿ Monthly Survey of students satisfied with their jobs ¿ Percentage of students that stay employed, if not why ¿ Number of students receiving promotions and/or pay raises ¿ Measure the success of the goal: students retaining employment and receiving promotions and/or raises ¿ Number of vacancies among those contacted ¿ Desired skill sets by employers ¿ Specific training needed according to employers ¿ List will be continually changing with new data needed All above entered into data base by Data Entry Clerk under the direction of the VISTA worker Grant Writing ¿ Number and types of grants pursued ¿ Review of grants to ensure grant requirements were addressed ¿ Are narratives creative and coherent that can be understood by anyone ¿ Are grants completed in a timely manner ¿ Was research of the grantor conducted to understand what are their interests, average dollar amounts of grants and geographical area the grantor funds ¿ Procurement of required documentation ¿ Grant instructions followed such as font size and type, line spacing, length of narratives by letters, words or pages. ¿ Proper punctuation, spelling and grammar ¿ A written critique of each grant that all the above requirements were followed and corrected with the Vistas involvement. Community Involvement: ¿ Ensure all city and county leaders are engaged and made aware of Making Dreams Real¿s mission and vision ¿ Address how each government official or agency can become involved in addressing the needs of our community. ¿ Document each government leader, official or agency contacted and their response. ¿ When contacting employers during the survey, consult with them about how they are involved in the community and/or how they would commit to being involved; with funds, volunteer campaign of their employees and management, and/or in-kind donations ¿ Maintain web and social media to keep the community current on the needs and successes ¿ Contact and maintain media relations by having news coverage on a weekly basis, either a newspaper article or a news story of local television and/or radio ¿ Assess the increased involvement of each individual, agency or media response after contacting them and document the type of method used and what was effective with each different entity. Fund development: ¿ Build a donors data base with their contact information and their passions and past giving and to whom if known ¿ Research and develop unique and entrepreneurial fund development ideas and/or projects ¿ Attend community and corporate social events to market Making Dreams Real ¿ Contact corporations and businesses for donated equipment, labor or materials needed to construct supportive low-income housing. ¿ Develop sharing methods for several individuals and/or businesses to construct houses ¿ Development a method to track type of giving and percentage of those that were contacted who participated
Organizational Capability
Making Dreams Real, Inc. was created in June of 2015 as a Texas non-profit community organization and obtained its 501c3 status in October of 2015 and the journey began. Mission Statement To improve community integration and quality of life for adults with mental illness as well as those who are homeless, unemployed or incarcerated via a holistic approach that fosters strong relationships and self-esteem. Executive Summary Making Dreams Real (MDR) planning and design was initiated five years ago by Arthur Horn, previous Executive Director of Four Rivers Outreach, Inc. a non-profit created by Horn in 2006, for adults with substance abuse issues and homelessness. The non-profit began in a two-bedroom house, then grew to become one of the largest non-profits in Grayson County with over 400 clients. Eighty-percent of Four Rivers' clients also had mental disorders many experiencing homelessness. Arthur Horn sought solutions. However, a recovery program for adults with mental disorders and homelessness did not exist in the area. Horn then advocated and researched exclusively recovery models for adults with mental disorders which included homelessness, addiction and unemployment and established MDR as a 501(c)3 organization. A Recovery College and Residential program is a dire need for Grayson County. In fact, individuals released from jail, emergency rooms or a behavioral health center after a mental health crisis are without a residential care option. For example, an individual with bi-polar issues was rejected by community mental health treatment centers, each stating the individual did not meet criteria. As a result, the individual attacked a family member, was arrested, and then taken to a behavioral health center. Another lady was found in the middle of a road crying- she had sought help at emergency rooms yet was turned away without assistance. Individuals released from a Behavior Health Center, must typically wait 6 weeks until outpatient care is available. The Recovery College does not have a waiting list. Dallas Police Chief, David Brown, DeKalb County Public Safety Director, Cedric Alexander, state that in the absence of mental health residential programs, police must handle mental health issues, yet officers are not equipped to do so, with the Sherman Police serving seven emergency detentions per month. In Texoma, each month, twenty people with mental health issues are exited from behavioral health centers without a place to go. In addition, another 2000 each year are jailed due to mental health issues. These individuals have a 54-percent recidivism rate, due in part to a lack of mental health residential beds in concert with a recovery program. MDR's residential plan will provide immediate access to recovery protocols for individuals who experience mental health issues, homelessness and/or crisis. As a recovery program, as opposed to treatment, the client will experience a soothing environment. The center's design is based on a holistic family setting. Peer and professional counselors facilitate the de-escalation process, thereby integrating mental health consumers into the recovery college residential center. While at Four Rivers Arthur Horn received the Emergency Solutions Grant for four years, a provider for the now defunct Access to Recovery (ATR) which provided short term housing, a Tenant Based Rental Assistance provider and a residential program. A GED program was provided along with a career center for job training and placement. The program also had a carpenter shop which produced bird houses, furniture, community libraries', a banner printing business, a dental clinic and a thrift store. Starting small Arthur scaled this non-profit to $750,000 a year entity feeding over 400 prepared meals a week. Rotary gave us a $100,000 grant which was turned into $1,000,000. The Community Partners of Making Dreams Real are: Grayson County College Texoma Council of Governments Greater Texoma Health Clinic Work Force Solutions Master Key Ministries -- Food Distribution Homeward Bound -- Substance Use Disorder The Refuge -- Men's Recovery House Salvation Army Grayson County College Veterans Program Woodforest Bank Texoma Medical Center Behavior Health Center Grayson County Sheriff's Office Austin College Texoma Homeless Coalition United Way Texoma Health Foundation Making Dreams Real management team consists of Arthur Horn -- Executive Director and Founder, Vicki James -- Administrative Assistance and Tommy Ellis -- Director of Career One Stop. The process is to have a training session to orient the VISTAs on the project and assign each VISTA one of the priorities. Furnish a time line for each phase of the project. The projects are in place and operating on a small scale therefore the VISTAs will be given a starting point to begin the expansion phase. Take the VISTAs and introduce them to the community partners and acquaint them with the existing donors and business leaders. Making Dreams Real will recruit from the local colleges, University of Texas at Dallas, North Texas University, Texas A&M Commerce, Meadows Foundation and Linked In. The VISTAs supervision is The Management Team listed in the previous paragraph. This will consist of weekly progress meetings and assistance to work through any barriers they may encounter. The administrative assistance will be involved with data, liaison with the housing partners, and assisting with ID procurement for clients. The director of Career One Stop will assist in introduction of all employers and any employment issues. Volunteers will be available to assist with any issues the VISTAs may have. Making Dreams Real will furnish computers, printers/scanners, office supplies, Wi-Fi, projectors, needed software, cell phone and fuel. Making Dreams Real has a website with available email addresses if the VISTA desires, Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and Instagram are available. A furnished office will be provided for each VISTA. Making Dreams Real looks forward to a long term relationship with AmeriCorps VISTA project.
