Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS)
Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) Service Coordinator –
The ROSS program promotes the development of local strategies to coordinate assistance under the Public Housing program with public and private resources for supportive services and resident empowerment activities.
These services will enable participating families to increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for welfare assistance, progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency, or, in the case of elderly or disabled residents, help improve living conditions and enable residents to age in place.
For the resident’s convenience, the ROSS Service Coordinator will hold regular hours at Dan S. Dickinson and Harold E. Duffy Apartments.
Service Coordinators are:
- Resources for residents on available community-based services and can answer any questions.
- Facilitators of wellness and other educational programs for residents.
- Motivators who empower residents to be as independent as possible.
- Monitors who follow up with services provided to residents.
- Champions who encourage residents to adhere to a healthy lifestyle.
- Educators who provide training and assistance to residents and other property staff.
- Advisors who can assist residents with building support networks and consult with tenant organizations and resident management.
- Referral agents who connect residents to service providers who can meet their needs.
- Community partners to assist residents with accessing community-based services.
Examples Of Service Assistance:
Digital Inclusion
- Help obtain low or free cost internet
- Help to obtain low or free-cost phone or tablet
- Provide Education on how to work devices or courses to do so
- Adult Computer Classes
Education
- College applications and scholarships
- ESL and High School Equivalency (GED)
- FAFSA Application Assistance
Elderly/Persons with Disabilities
- Assist in finding and arranging homemaker/chore services
- Arrange for grocery shopping services
- Arrange for Meals-on-Wheels
- Arrange for transportation for shopping and other needs
- Plan monthly presentations on topics such as living wills, telemarketing fraud, wellness, and areas of resident’s interests
- Assistance with Medicare forms
- Assistance with any type of forms
Employment
- Computer training and access for jobseekers
- Job training programs, skilled trade job training
- Finding a job or a better job
- OVR Referral
- Resume Building
- Interview Preparedness
Financial Literacy
- Reading and understanding bills
- Calling companies regarding billing errors
- Enrolling in benefits programs and providing assistance with accessing entitlement programs
- Household budgeting
- How to write a cheque
- Personal savings programs
- *1st time HOME buyer programs
- Credit repair
Health and Wellness
- Assistance with understanding and acquiring prescription drug benefit plans
- Arrange for home health aide services
- Coordinate wellness clinics
- Read and understand Medicare/Medicaid entitlements, appropriate policies, and issues
- Arrange physician appointments and transportation
- Arrange for home medical equipment
- Assist in setting up emergency medical information forms
- Access to mental health services
- Access to health insurance
- Finding a doctor or dentist
- Managing chronic diseases or health conditions
- Nutrition and cooking classes
- Community gardens
- Becoming more active
Re-Entry
- Community Service
- Locations of Services needed for Parole/Probation requirement
- Where to locate low-cost legal assistance
- How to reinstate driver’s license
Substance Abuse
- Provide local AA/NA Groups
- Referrals to therapy in the local area
- Provide relapse prevention and coping techniques
If you have any ideas for activities that you would like to be seen done around the Duffy’s or Dickinson Apartments, please let the ROSS Coordinator know by coming to the office or calling 814.965.2532 ext. 8 or 814.772.4595 ext.2.
