St. Johns County Continuum of Care
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About

 

History

HUD developed the concept of the CoC in 1995 through its annual competition for homelessness assistance grants. The CoC was envisioned as a local network that plans and coordinates funding for services and housing to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

CoC’s are designed to: 

  • Provide community-wide equitable and inclusive services

  • Promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness

  • Provide funding for efforts for re-housing individuals and families experiencing homelessness

  • Promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by individuals and families experiencing homelessness

  • Optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness

 
 

Collaborative Applicant / Lead Agency

The Office on Homelessness recognizes and designates local entities to serve as lead agencies for local planning efforts to coordinate homeless assistance continuum of care systems.  The purpose of the local continuum of care is to help communities envision, plan and implement coordinated, long-term solutions to address homelessness.

UF Health St. Johns, formerly known as Flagler Hospital, became the Collaborative Applicant / Lead Agency for the St. Johns County Continuum of Care in December of 2017.

Our Collaborative Applicant / Lead Agency Team:

Ronald White
Community Health Associate / Peer Support Specialist
ronald.white@ufhealth.org
(904) 522-2723

Sulana Riley
Community Health Associate / Rapid Rehousing and Prevention Case Management
sulana.riley@ufhealth.org
(904) 466-9291

Shastan Johnson
Continuum of Care Housing Navigator
shastan.johnson@ufhealth.org
(904) 819-3033

Casey Bridges
Continuum of Care Coordinator
casey.bridges@ufhealth.org
(904) 819-4080

Anita Daniel
Grant Management & CoC Lead
anita.daniel@ufhealth.org
(904) 819-4329

Victoria Hapner
Community Engagement Supervisor, HMIS Coordinator
victoria.hapner@ufhealth.org
(904) 819-8209

 
 
 

Grants

The objective of the CoC is to improve the overall quality of life for individuals and/or families experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness, through coordination with community agencies to provide quality services and programs including: facilities (i.e. shelters, transitional housing, etc.), prevention and re-housing initiatives (i.e. rental and financial assistance programs) and outreach and case management activities. Programs and services are funded by the competitively awarded: Challenge Grant(s), Emergency Solutions Grant(s), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Grants.  These services will provide the populations affected by homelessness the assistance needed to gain self-sufficiency and make suitable living conditions available and sustainable.

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) administers homelessness funding in Florida. These funds are coordinated through local Continuums of Care (CoCs), as mandated by Florida Statute. The State Office on Homelessness establishes multi-year, unified contracts with each CoC, combining various eligible grants into a single contract.

On a broader scale, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awards significant funding through the CoC program.  These funds are available to CoCs through a competitive process and support CoC positions as well as new programming to address priority areas such as: Youth and Domestic Violence (DV) Bonus projects.

In an effort to honor a community wide Housing First approach, no minimum income requirements are enforced to enter any of the below CoC-funded programs.

Program recipients must meet HUD definition(s) of homelessness (§ 578.3)

Official grant terms are contracted by fiscal year. The below information is accurate as of this current fiscal year – July 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2025.

 

CHALLENGE GRANT (CHALLENGE base, CHALLENGE BASE plus, and CHALLENGE PLUS)

The Challenge Grant program is authorized by Florida Statutes (section 420.622(4)). It provides annual grant funding to CoC lead agencies responsible for homeless assistance and enhances local efforts to address homelessness and improve outcomes for individuals experiencing housing instability. The objective of the Challenge Grant is to provide the housing, program and service needs included in the local homeless assistance continuum of care plan.  Funding shall be allocated to programs consistent with the local continuum of care plans.

Providers: St. Johns County Health and Human Services, Emergency Services and Homeless Coalition of St. Johns County, UF Health St. Johns

EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG, ESG-RUSH)

The objective of ESG is to provide emergency shelter to persons experiencing homelessness; engage persons living on the street through street outreach activities; provide homeless prevention to enable those in danger of losing their housing to remain stably housed; and to provide re-housing services to help those who are experiencing homelessness to become stably housed. 

RUSH (Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing) follow standards, financial assistance protocols and limitations set forth by ESG and provides time-limited housing support, financial assistance for eligible rents and utilities, and stabilization services.   

RUSH is specific to those impacted by Hurricane Ian to support individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and have needs not otherwise served or fully met by existing Federal disaster relief.

ESG Street Outreach Provider: St. Francis House

ESG Emergency Shelter Providers:  St. Francis House, Betty Griffin Center

ESG Prevention Providers:  Catholic Charities, St. Johns County Health and Human Services, UF Health St. Johns

ESG Re-Housing Providers:  Catholic Charities, St. Johns County Health and Human Services, Betty Griffin Center (RUSH only)

Temporary ASsistance for Needy Families (TANF)

The objective of the TANF Program is to provide emergency financial assistance to families experiencing a financial or other crisis through the payment of past due rent, mortgage or utility bills (electric, water and gas) to enable them to remain stably housed and for the provision of case management services.

Providers: St. Johns County Health and Human Services, Catholic Charities

 
 
 

Board of Directors

Caroline Volk
Outreach Nurse, Wildflower Health Care

Erick Saks
President/Founder and Veteran Liaison, Operation Lifeline Inc.

Monica Ortiz-Sanchez
St. Johns County Community Liaison, Home Again St. Johns

Victoria Pepper
Civic Action Group Liaison, CARE

Kristopher Barajas
Veteran Liaison

Pastor William Wold
First United Methodist Church, St. Augustine FL

Pam Birtolo
Flagler Open Arms Recovery Services / Discover & Recover, Executive Director

Nancy Eisele, Chair
Housing System Coordinator, LSF Health Systems

Tracy Dillon, Vice Chair
Manager, St. Johns County Social Services

Tamara Boettger, Secretary
ASSIST/Homeless Liaison, St. Johns County Schools

John Spence, Treasurer
Jack Spence Law, PLLC

Anthony Cuthbert
Assistant Chief of Police, St. Augustine Police Dept.

Michael Clark
Corrections Division Sergeant, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office

Valerie Duquette
Director, Flagler Hospital CAIR Center