- The Kearney Center is rolling out a new app, Casey, that would digitize their services.
- The goal is to have portable case management to meet vulnerable people where they're at to catch them before they need full overnight support of their comprehensive homeless shelter
- This comes as The Kearney Center has had to start charging certain local and out-of-state clients due to funding concerns.
- Watch the video to find out what Casey could do and how it can help.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Kearney Center is rolling out a new app that will take their services online. Staff said they’re hoping the app will allow them to provide support to people beyond their walls. That’s as the center is making changes to improve services to cope with current financial constraints.
Kearney Center is advancing services by taking them online with a new app called Casey.
"If they just need some food or some medicine or transportation, or they want to get somewhere to reunite with their family, we want to help them solve, what is your current immediate most pressing problem?" said Rick Kearney, the founder of The Kearney Center.
Some of the features include online access to a case manager.
The Kearney Center is working with FSU’s College of Medicine to ensure the app is meeting needs of the unhoused community, such as medicine, food, or substance abuse support.
"So if you can get care in real time to help do things like learn coping skills, calm down your emotions so you can make good decisions, communicate with other people in a way that gets you what you want and need out of the world," said Heather Flynn, Chair of Behavioral Sciences at the College of Medicine at Florida State University.
Leaders here said the goal is to meet people where they’re at in hopes of providing services to close gaps before people need the full service of a homeless shelter.
"If they are in a situation where I either pay my light bill or I pay my rent, they will reach out so that we can assist with any diversion funds that we may have," said Sonya Wilson, Executive Director of The Kearney Center.
That’s to help reduce the average client number here as The Kearney Center faces potential budget cuts.
The Kearney Center has started applying charges to certain local clients who have been at the center for more than 6 months, as well as out-of-state clients, $154 a week after 3 free nights.
Wilson said that's because they’ve seen so much demand and she said some clients have been living here full time for up to 10 years.
Wilson said these changes are helping constraints.
"We have seen our census come down, which is allowing us more time with our case managers to work with our clients on their action plans for a viable plan of exit," said Wilson.
Wilson added the minimum average annual shelter cost for one individual is $40,000; The budget is just over 3 million dollars.
Are you concerned at all about trying to roll that out and have this service during a time when you are so pressed financially?
"No, because at the end of the day, whatever it takes to roll this out, and there's a whole team behind this," said Wilson. "It's imperative to get this resource in such a time as we're experiencing right now. We know homelessness is going to increase just based on the financial cutbacks."
Wilson said the app will connect all 40 providers they work with in a digital space, allowing for case management outside of their normal hours of Monday through Friday 8-5pm.
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