Social Services Block Grant Case Management Bid

Client: Connecticut Association for Community Action (CAFCA) Connecticut’s 14 Community Action Agencies (CAAs) that are state and federally recognized anti-poverty agencies came together to form the Connecticut Association for Community Action, Inc. (CAFCA) to carry out programs and advance the anti-poverty efforts in the state. CAFCA’s mission is to strengthen the capacity of their members to empower people in need and improve the communities in which they live. The mission is fulfilled by CAAs that employ a comprehensive, community-involved, needs-driven approach to deliver resources and services that address poverty in communities across Connecticut. Farnam Associates worked with CAFCA staff to prepare a comprehensive response to a 2015 Request for Proposals from the Connecticut Department of Social Services for statewide case management services supported through the Social Services Block Grant. Farnam Associates conducted extensive research through contact with all the CAAs to document their capabilities and their case management strategies. The grant helped CAFCA build upon and enhance the statewide delivery system of the CAAs’ services to vulnerable or at-risk individuals and families.

Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Initiative

Client: City of New Haven The City of New Haven asked partners in 2017 to support the LEAD initiative with a grant proposal under the federal Justice Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) that will divert persons with mental health or substance use issues from the criminal justice system to reduce the rates of incarceration and recidivism. The grant would build on Justice-Mental Health Collaboration Program’ s efforts in increasing public safety by facilitating collaboration among criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse treatments, maximizing opportunities for an early intervention, and increasing the number of partnerships. Farnam Associates prepared the grant under the Justice-Mental Health Collaboration Program of the US Department of Justice. It was awarded in September 2017.

Ready to Work Grant

Client: Workforce Alliance The Ready To Work grant, a U.S. Department of Labor grant funded through federal H1B visa revenues covers the cost of On the Job Training (OJT) for long term unemployed persons with some smiles. This program provides regional employers an incentive when they hire and train workers with a 50%-75% reimbursement of the portion of the employees’ wages. The program was created under the partnership of The Workforce Alliance (WA) and Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board (EWIB) to address the President’s initiative in assisting long-term unemployed workers to reenter the workforce using strategies to remove particular barriers to reemployment. Farnam Associates led the preparation and development of the grant. The 2014 grant helped fund provisions of On the Job Training and other paid work experiences to 375 or more long-term unemployed workers in South Central and Eastern Connecticut regions and assisted skilled workers seeking to transition into permanent, full-time employment in new or related fields.

Project Safe Neighborhoods Grants (2014, 2016)

Client: The Justice Education Center, Inc as an agent for the Office of the U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Farnam Associates prepared two grants PSN Youth (2014) and PSN Opportunity (2016) for The Justice Education Center (TJEC) and their initiative Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The $300,000 grants designated the center as the USAO’s Fiscal Agent and program developer to implement programs that target youth ages 14-17 with interventions to reduce gun crime in the New Haven. Both grants have helped break the cycle of at-risk and gang behaviors through PSN’s youth-focused programs to provide highly targeted, personalized case management support, counseling, referrals and follow-up. Through PSN Youth and PSN Opportunity, TJEC has built a roster of programs and strategies to address teens’ needs, including: substance abuse, mental health and family issues, lack of services, remediation in math and English, and the lack of opportunities available to build career pathways.

Sex Offender Program Request for Proposals

Client: The Connection, Inc. Farnam Associated provided extensive research and writing support on this proposal to the Connecticut Judicial Department Court Support Services Division to continue The Connection’s program offering treatment to sex offenders around the state through its Center for the Treatment of Problem Sexual Behavior. The proposal was successful and generated a state contract for services valued at $5.7 million.

Second Chance Act Smart on Juvenile Justice

Client: Tow Youth Justice Institute The State of Connecticut’s Office of Policy and Management was awarded a federal grant for strategic planning on improved community supervision and reentry practicesfor youth after incarceration. Farnam Associates prepared the application as a contractor to the Tow Youth Justice Initiative at the University of New Haven.

American Job Center at New Haven Correctional Center

Client: Workforce Alliance In 2015, the Workforce Alliance, in partnership with the City of New Haven, applied for and was awarded a grant for a pilot Department of Labor program aimed at reducing recidivism. The grant funds the opening of an American Job Center inside the New Haven Correctional Center—the first of its kind in the state—to provide area residents job training and job readiness skills in preparation for returning from incarceration to New Haven and surrounding towns. In December 2015, Governor Dannel Malloy visited the New Haven Correctional Center and announced the launch of the Job Center as a part of his Second Chance Society initiative. This was reflected in a January 4, 2016 lead editorial in the New York Times on Connecticut’s leadership in prison reentry work. Farnam Associates assisted in the project design and prepared the federal grant application.

Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation grant

Client: City of New Haven In 2014, the City of New Haven was awarded a highly competitive Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program grant to support the Newhallville Safe Neighborhood Initiative. These funds support a partnership between the City, neighborhood leaders and residents, the New Haven Police Department, and several social service agencies to reduce violent crime in Newhallville through enhanced community policing, youth programming, and enhanced support for residents coming back to the community from prison. Farnam Associates supported the project design, prepared the full application, and assisted in recruiting the project partners that signed on to participate.

Second Chance Act Adult Reentry grant

Client: City of New Haven The federal Second Chance Act funds programs for supporting residents returning from incarceration. The City of New Haven, along with partners at Easter Seals Goodwill Industries, Community Action Agency of New Haven, and Project MORE, applied for and was awarded a $1 million Second Chance Act grant in 2015 to expand Project Fresh Start. This initiative allows case managers to work inside state prisons to help New Haven residents prepare for their release, connect with job training and health care services, and return home able to reintegrate successfully into life in New Haven. Farnam Associates led the effort to prepare the grant application and secure the commitments to a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding that was the basis for the federal award. Farnam Associates has also consulted on the implementation planning for the project. The initiative has since been renamed the Warren Kimbro Reentry Project after iconic community leader Warren Kimbro who led Project MORE for more than 20 years. A temporary web site for the project has been set up here.

Early Head Start

Client: United Way of Greater New Haven Jim Farnam led teams under the United Way of Greater New Haven to apply successfully for funding to operate Early Head Start Programs in 2005 and again in 2014. See their program overview here. The 2014-15 annual report for the first grant (annual federal budget of $571,000) is here. The second grant contract is for $851,816 per year. Early Head Start provides support for parents of children 0-3 to ensure their children’s healthy development and in preparing their children for success in preschool and school. Once awarded, the federal funds are renewed each year indefinitely as long as program goals are met.

Changing the Face of Medicine

Client: URU, The Right to Be, Inc.
Changing the Face of Medicine is an initiative of New Haven non-profit URU The Right To Be, Inc., made up of a documentary film, a photo-essay book, and educational events about African-American women trailblazers in medical professions. Local filmmaker and activist Crystal Emery, Executive Director of URU The Right To Be, created the film and book and designed the educational tour. The project’s tour is being piloted at area schools and community organizations, and aims to launch nationally in 2016. The goal of the project is to increase the number of students of color entering into medical and STEM fields. Farnam Associates has advised on the design of the tour and supported fund development efforts for the project.

Church Street South Choice Neighborhood Application

Skill Up for Manufacturing

Client: Workforce Alliance

Greater New Haven Green Fund Strategic Plan and Start Up

Client: Greater New Haven Green Fund The Greater New Haven Fund (GNHGF) was created in 2006 to support environmental and public health initiatives in Greater New Haven. The Fund offers grants for organizations committed to promoting environmental sustainability, justice, and restoration. Farnam Associates was engaged to facilitate the process of starting up the fund, including developing a first Strategic Plan and developing grant making protocols. Strategic directions included increasing funding capacity and infrastructure amid proposed budget cuts to environmental programs at the state and federal level. Farnam Associates played a key role in developing the strategic and operational plans for the Greater New Haven Green Fund by conducting empirical research, facilitating planning sessions, and preparing the Strategic Plan.

Connecticut State Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan

Client: University of New Haven for CT Department of Correction Farnam Associates provided technical assistance to the Connecticut Department of Correction as part of a University of New Haven team from the Henry C. Lee College of Criminology and Forensic Sciences in the planning process to develop a Statewide Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan. The plan focused on targeting six categories of actions by the Department of Correction: Risks/Needs Assessments, Case Management, Promotion of Quality Programs, Direct Services, Supervision Practices, and Operations. The plan specified project goals and activities for each category and also emphasized short-term and long-term outcomes with indicators to measure the outcomes. The multi-pronged strategy also highlighted the sustainability of the projects involved so the state will continue to maintain the investments even after project implementation. The comprehensive plan tackled many barriers of intervention by utilizing risk and/or needs assessment, integrated case management and data support across community facilities, providers, and partners, and quality programs and services to reduce statewide recidivism.

Tow Youth Justice Institute Three Year Plan

Client: Tow Youth Justice Institute The Tow Youth Justice Institute (TYJI) was launched at University of New Haven as a research and advocacy group to support reform in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system. Farnam Associates helped prepare TYJI’s three year plan to expand the Institute’s capacity in youth advocacy, leadership development, course offerings, and research.

Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven

Farnam Associates recently embarked on a strategic planning process with Literacy Volunteers, organizing focus groups with key stakeholders, helping to identify opportunities for growth, and researching best practices to support the organization's future success.

Senior Community Service Employment Program Web Portal

Client: Charter Oak Group for the U.S. Department of Labor The web portal developed by Farnam Associates, LLC New Media Specialist Eudald Lerga ( http://www.scseped.org) provides Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) grantees access to information about the number of SCSEP authorized positions, enrollment numbers, and the variances in each county. Users are able utilize the web portal and view data through the three methods: tables by state, tables by grantee, maps. Farnam Associates designed a companion web portal for the bidding process through which grantees input detailed bids for the number of available national grantee positions in each state and county they propose to serve.

Decreasing Young Adult Recidivism

Client: University of New Haven for the CT Department of Correction Commissioned as part of the Statewide Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan, this 2016 report outlined key recommendations for reducing recidivism in the young adult (18-25) criminal offender population after research and thorough examination comparing how young adults differ from mature adults and juveniles psychologically, developmentally, and socially. Some important recommendations proposed include: regular assessment the risk posed by criminogenic factors and psychosocial maturity, separation of low-risk offenders and moderate or high-risk offenders to overcome peer influence, and provision of individualized case planning to remove barriers of intervention (substance or mental abuse). Farnam Associates conducted empirical research and prepared the report. The report was prepared with the help of contract Associate Lauren Ruth, at the time a candidate for a PhD in Psychology at Yale who is now a researcher at Connecticut Voices for Children in New Haven, CT.

City Transformation Plan (CTP) Data Project

Client: City of New Haven In January 2016, the City of New Haven released the City Transformation Plan (CTP) to improve outcomes for all city residents that addressed eight platforms: Job Creation and Workforce Development, Economic Activity and Private Investment, Early Childhood, Education and Youth Development, Adult Literacy and Life Skills, Community Health and Mental Health, Community Cohesion and Safety, and Housing and Physical Environment. In 2017, the City of New Haven Community Services Administration launched an effort to document and appropriately measure the community’s efforts and outcomes of the CTP using objective indicators. The City contracted Farnam Associates in collaboration with Data Haven to complete the first phase of the data project by June 2017. Farnam Associates is creating a comprehensive data management system to measure and evaluate past progress and current improvements across CTP platforms, design and create an interactive Community Dashboard and social media platform to communicate outcomes with the public and partners, and create a plan for key CTP partners to increase their usage with data to better assess goals and results of research.

Tow Youth Justice Institute State of the System Report

Client: Tow Youth Justice Institute One of the duties of the Tow Youth Justice Institute (TYJI) is to release comprehensive reports on the state of the juvenile justice system in Connecticut and next steps for forwarding juvenile justice reforms. The first of these reports, prepared by Farnam Associates under contract to the Institute, was released in March 2016. Download here.

Greater New Haven Green Fund Strategic Plan and Start Up

Client: Greater New Haven Green Fund The Greater New Haven Fund (GNHGF) was created in 2006 to support environmental and public health initiatives in Greater New Haven. The Fund offers grants for organizations committed to promoting environmental sustainability, justice, and restoration. Farnam Associates was engaged to facilitate the process of starting up the fund, including developing a first Strategic Plan and developing grant making protocols. Strategic directions included increasing funding capacity and infrastructure amid proposed budget cuts to environmental programs at the state and federal level. Farnam Associates played a key role in developing the strategic and operational plans for the Greater New Haven Green Fund by conducting empirical research, facilitating planning sessions, and preparing the Strategic Plan.

Connecticut State Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan

Client: University of New Haven for CT Department of Correction Farnam Associates provided technical assistance to the Connecticut Department of Correction as part of a University of New Haven team from the Henry C. Lee College of Criminology and Forensic Sciences in the planning process to develop a Statewide Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan. The plan focused on targeting six categories of actions by the Department of Correction: Risks/Needs Assessments, Case Management, Promotion of Quality Programs, Direct Services, Supervision Practices, and Operations. The plan specified project goals and activities for each category and also emphasized short-term and long-term outcomes with indicators to measure the outcomes. The multi-pronged strategy also highlighted the sustainability of the projects involved so the state will continue to maintain the investments even after project implementation. The comprehensive plan tackled many barriers of intervention by utilizing risk and/or needs assessment, integrated case management and data support across community facilities, providers, and partners, and quality programs and services to reduce statewide recidivism.

Tow Youth Justice Institute Three Year Plan

Client: Tow Youth Justice Institute The Tow Youth Justice Institute (TYJI) was launched at University of New Haven as a research and advocacy group to support reform in Connecticut’s juvenile justice system. Farnam Associates helped prepare TYJI’s three year plan to expand the Institute’s capacity in youth advocacy, leadership development, course offerings, and research.

Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven

Farnam Associates recently embarked on a strategic planning process with Literacy Volunteers, organizing focus groups with key stakeholders, helping to identify opportunities for growth, and researching best practices to support the organization's future success.