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Chapter 4: Steps to Eliminate Barriers Client Faces
Chapter 4: Steps to Eliminate Barriers
The identified needs below can be described best as being critical to the health of the individual you are serving. These emergency needs must be addressed before you are able to assist the homeless person in finding a job or attending employability training.
Identified Urgent Barrier: Shelter
If a person is in need of shelter, be prepared with a list of local shelters, churches or agencies that will assist with short term stay. Some shelters may be available specifically for a person who is fighting substance abuse, a veteran or has mental health needs. A form is provided in the appendix to list shelters and homeless advocates in your service area. ● Visit shelterlist.com to find a list of shelters in your area. ● TNhousingsearch.org specializes in helping people with special challenges, from affordability to disability to emergency housing. ● HUD Continuum of Care (https://www.tn.gov/behavioral-health/housing/continua-ofcare.html) Regions in Tennessee (see map above). CoC is a regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals. Here you will find agencies and contact information that are available. ● Find local public housing contact information at (https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PIH/documents/PHA_Contact_Report_TN.pdf). A list of your local contacts can be found, printed out and added as an appendix to this document ● Tennessee’s rental assistance website (https://thda.org/help-for-renters-section-8) includes information on vouchers and section 8 waiting lists by region. ● RedRover (https://redrover.org/) staff and volunteers provide temporary emergency sheltering, resources, financial assistance and emotional support when animals and people are in crisis.
Career Coach Question “Do you have a place to stay at?”
Identified Urgent Barrier: Identification
A major barrier for homeless persons is lacking proper Identification (social security cards, birth certificates, driving license). Below are links to resources to assist in obtaining necessary identification.
Required documents for I-9 verification
I-9 verification ensures that companies are only hiring employees who are authorized to work in the U.S., by requiring candidates to provide employers with specific documents that verify their identity and work eligibility. There are several lists of documents that can be used for I-9 verification according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), including:
1. List A: Documents that can verify both the identity and eligibility for legal work
The following documents can be used to verify both employment authorization and identity. This means that as an employer, you should only ask a candidate to present one of the following acceptable documents. Make note that all documents must be unexpired. ● U.S. passport or U.S. passport card ● Alien Registration Receipt Card or Permanent Resident Card with photograph, also known as a Green Card (Form I-551) ● Foreign passport containing a temporary I-551 stamp or temporary I-551 printed notation ● Employment Authorization Document (EAD) containing a photograph (Form I-766) ● For a nonimmigrant alien authorized to work for a specific employer, a foreign passport and Form I-94 (or Form I-94A containing the same name as the passport and containing an endorsement of the alien’s nonimmigrant status so long as the period of endorsement has not expired and the proposed employment does not conflict with restrictions or limitations identified on the form) ● Passport from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) or the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) with Form I-94 or I-94A
2. List B: Documents that only verify the identity for legal work
If any of the previously listed documents are unavailable, a new hire would need to provide two separate documents, which could include one of the following List B documents in addition to one of the documents in List C.
Career Coach Question “Do you have any form of identification like a driver’s license or social security card?”
● Driver’s license ● ID card issued by an outlying possession or state of the U.S. that includes a photograph and other information about the candidate’s identity such as name, gender, height, eye color, date of birth and address ● ID card issued by state, federal or local government agencies that contain a photograph and other information about the candidate’s identity such as name, gender, height, eye color, date of birth and address
● Voter’s registration card ● School ID card with a photograph ● U.S. military card or draft record ● U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card ● Military dependent’s ID card ● Driver’s license issued by a Canadian government authority ● Native American tribal document
3. List C: Documents that only verify the eligibility for legal work
If a candidate is not able to provide one of the documents in List A, one of the following documents must be presented with a document from List B: ● U.S. social security card issued by the Social Security Administration that is unrestricted and does not have any of the following phrases indicating restriction on it: ○ NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT ○ VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION ○ VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION ● Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (Form FS-240) ● Certification of Birth Abroad issued by the U.S. Department of State (FORM FS-545) ● Certification of Report of Birth issued by the Department of State (Form DS-1350 or FS545) ● Original or certified birth certificate issued by a county, state, municipal authority or outlying possession of the United States that bears an official seal ● U.S. Citizen ID Card (Form I-197) ● ID Card for the use of a Resident Citizen in the United States (Form I-179) ● Valid employment authorization document issued by the DHS
4. Document list for minors
Employees who are younger than 18 years of age and don’t have any of the above documents can provide one of the following documents instead: ● Report card or school record ● Hospital, clinic or doctor record ● Nursery school or daycare record To request a copy (https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/vital-records/certificate.html) of your Tennessee birth certificate by mail, include: 1 - The completed and signed application for Certified Copy of Certificate of Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce (click on the link above for complete form) 2 - One of the following for identification purposes:
● A photocopy of a government-issued identification card which includes the signature of the requester. ● A notarized application for certified copy. ● The mother’s copy of the birth certificate (issued at the hospital at the time of birth) may be used for identification when obtaining a newborn’s birth certificate. (It must be dated within the last two calendar years.) 3 - If none of these documents are available, see ID requirements for alternatives ● Current driver's license, including the issue and expiration date. ● Current passport ● Military I.D. card ● Alien, temporary or permanent resident card ● Employment authorization card ● U.S. Certificate of Naturalization ● Certificate of Citizenship or Citizenship I.D. card OR
Two items from the following list: ● Current pay stub or W2 ● Vehicle registration with name and current address ● Voter Registration card ● Military Discharge (DD214) ● Utility Bill, Bank Statement or deposit slip with name and current address ● Health care coverage card ● Medical record ● Application page of an insurance policy ● Signed Social Security Card ● For those people who have had their I.D. stolen, a copy a police report or other official documents which support the theft. 4 - A check or money order made payable to Tennessee Vital Records for the appropriate fee. Mail Request To: Tennessee Vital Records 1st Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243
Replacing a lost TN license (https://www.tn.gov/safety/driverservices/classd/dlduplicate.html)
Not all homeless individuals have a driver’s license, but if your driver license has been lost, stolen or destroyed, you may be eligible to obtain a replacement online. Obtaining a replacement license does not change the expiration date of the original issued license. You may also obtain a replacement by applying in person at any driver service center.
If your temporary license or certificate for driving is lost, stolen or destroyed, you may obtain a duplicate temporary license or certificate for driving by making an application only in person at any driver service center. Holders of a temporary driver's license or temporary ID must provide the necessary documents indicating the extended authorized stay in the United States to renew. You must provide: ● Confirmation of proof of identity and ● Required Documentation of changes (other than those needed to correct clerical errors) in a license, temporary license or certificate for driving holder’s name, date of birth, or gender. Click here for Social Security Card Application or to complete the application online. Application on next page. (https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf).
Identified Urgent Barrier: Transportation Homeless may live in their car, therefore have transportation to a job. However, for many transportation to employment and other services is an urgent barrier. The state of Tennessee has regional transit authorities to assist in low cost transportation in addition to programs that may assist individuals to get to and from their job for free or discounted rates.
Public Transportation is available in every county in Tennessee, with a wide range of services. Career Coach Question
West Tennessee
Jackson Transit Authority (ridejta.com): Phone: (731) 423-0200. Transit service in Jackson
Middle Tennessee
Nashville MTA (nashvillemta.org): Phone: (615) 862-5950. Transit service in Nashville-Davidson County
Music City Star: Phone: (615) 862-8833. Commuter train connecting Nashville-Davidson County and Wilson County with stops in Martha, Mt. Juliet, Hermitage, Donelson, Lebanon, and downtown Nashville Regional Transit Authority (RTA) of Middle Tennessee (https://www.rtarelaxandride.com/MiddleTN-RTA-homepage.asp): Phone: 615-862-8833 Commuter service between downtown Nashville and outlying communities of Rutherford, Sumner, Dickson, Robertson, Williamson, Wilson, and Montgomery counties Murfreesboro Rover (http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/248/Murfreesboro-Public-Transit): Phone: 615-217-6837. Transit service in Murfreesboro Clarksville Transit System (https://www.cityofclarksville.com/338/Clarksville-Transit-System): Phone: 931-553-2429. Transit service in Clarksville Franklin Transit Authority (https://franklintransit.org/): Phone: 615-628-0260. Transit service in Franklin
West Tennessee
Delta Human Resource Agency (DHRA) (https://www.deltahra.org/): Phone: 901-476-5226. Transit services Fayette, Lauderdale, rural Shelby, and Tipton counties Northwest Tennessee Human Resource Agency (NWTHRA) (https://nwtdd.org/nwthra): Phone: 731-587-2903. Transit services for Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion, and Weakley counties Southwest Human Resource Agency (SWHRA) (https://www.swhra.org/): Phone: 800-372-6013. Transit service for Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, and McNairy counties
Middle Tennessee
Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency (MCHRA) (http://www.mchra.com/): Phone: 615-3316033. Transit service for Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson counties South Central Tennessee Development District (SCTDD) (http://www.sctddtransit.org/index.html): Phone: 800-848-0298. Transit service for Bedford, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Perry, and Wayne counties Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) (https://uchra.org/): Phone: 931-5281127. Transit service for Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White counties
East Tennessee
Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency (SETHRA) (https://www.sethratransit.org/): Phone: 423-949-2191. Transit services Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie Counties and the non-urbanized areas of Bradley and Hamilton counties. East Tennessee Human Resource Agency (ETHRA) (https://ethrapublictransit.org/): Phone: 865291-2551. Transit for Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union counties
Identified Urgent Barrier: Communication
Does the individual you are assisting have a way to communicate? ● Email? If no, offer to help set up a Gmail account. ● If the individual does not have a phone, offer to show them how to sign up for a free phone through a service like SafeLink Wireless (www.safelinkwireless.com). ● If the person has a prepaid phone but is out (or regularly runs out) of minutes, ask them if they would be interested in a Google Voice number. Google Voice allows you to make and receive phone calls and text messages (by phone and computer) for free, but you do need a phone number and a Gmail account to verify and tie the Google Voice number to. ○ Click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjcATRODadU) to watch a Google Voice tutorial.
Identified Urgent Barrier: Food
Local food pantries, soup kitchens, commodity distribution centers, churches and others play a vital part in helping to feed your community’s hunger. Below are links to places you can share with a person in need of food assistance. Finding your local Food Pantry Second Harvest (https://www.secondharvestmidtn.org/get-help/) provides food for many Middle Tennessee food pantries. Here is a place you can search for the food pantries they serve. Foodpantries.org has a list of food pantries in Tennessee. FoodFinder is a food pantry locator and 501(c)(3) nonprofit that shows you when and where to get free food assistance in your area. The map on their homepage is a map of food pantries and school meal locations - every pin that appears is a food assistance program nearby. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) See (https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-programsnap.html) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) provides nutritional assistance benefits to children and families, the elderly, the disabled, unemployed and working families. SNAP helps supplement monthly food budgets of low-income families to buy the food they need to maintain good health and allow them to direct more of their available income toward essential living expenses. DHS staff determines the eligibility of applicants based on guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The primary goals of the program are to alleviate hunger and malnutrition and to improve nutrition and health in eligible households. DHS has a dual focus on alleviating hunger and establishing or re-establishing selfsufficiency.
Career Coach Question
Career Coach Question “Do you have access to food or know local organizations that can help provide you food?”
SNAP recipients are now able to use their benefits to buy authorized food items online through ALDI via Instacart, Amazon, and Walmart locations across the state.
IMPORTANT: SNAP benefits cannot be used for delivery fees and SNAP recipients who receive cash benefits on their EBT cards will not be able to apply those non-SNAP benefits for online purchases.
Using SNAP benefits online: At ALDI and Food Lion: SNAP customers may utilize their EBT card at participating ALDI and Food Lion stores using an Instacart Account. However, SNAP benefits cannot be used at non-participating Instacart retailers. How do I make an online purchase at ALDI or Food Lion using SNAP benefits? To make a purchase online with ALDI or Food Lion, SNAP recipients will need to have an Instacart account and add their EBT card information at the point of purchase or under the account settings menu. Once SNAP EBT information is added, customers may choose to use their SNAP EBT benefits to pay for select eligible items or full orders at the point of purchase. To learn which items are SNAP-eligible, customers will see an upfront “EBT” tag on items, and can also use the account settings menu or filter feature while shopping online. Visit Instacart’s website for assistance selecting SNAP EBT eligible items or click here to learn more about using your SNAP EBT card to purchase items at ALDI and Food Lion through Instacart. A credit or debit card must also be linked to your Instacart account to cover fees, bottle deposits in some states, taxes, delivery tips, and any other non-EBT SNAP-eligible items you may want to purchase. On Amazon Families can take advantage of this convenient option by entering their SNAP EBT card information on Amazon's SNAP dedicated website.
What do I need to make a SNAP purchase on Amazon? SNAP recipients must have an Amazon user account and register their SNAP EBT card before making a purchase. Once the SNAP EBT card has been registered, food items will be marked SNAP EBT eligible. A SNAP EBT card can also be added at the point of checkout. Shipping fees cannot be paid using SNAP benefits; however, some shipping costs are waived with a minimum purchase. Cash benefits loaded on an EBT card cannot be used for online purchases. Purchases can be made through Amazon Fresh, Amazon Pantry, and Amazon Grocery.
Walmart: SNAP recipients will be able to make purchases through Walmart Grocery Pick Up following the guidelines established for SNAP online purchasing. What do I need to make SNAP purchases online at Walmart? Purchases can be made at walmart.com/grocery or on the Walmart Grocery mobile app. During check out, select EBT card as a payment method. When picking up groceries, swipe your SNAP EBT card with the Walmart associate. Learn more at Walmart’s website.
WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic)
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federally-funded program designed to provide supplemental food assistance and nutrition education to low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children until age five. In addition to providing healthy supplemental foods, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support, the program also provides referrals to other health, welfare, and community-based services. WIC has proven to be effective in preventing and improving nutrition related health problems. The WIC Program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). WIC services are provided through the Tennessee Department of Health in 126 county health departments, stand-alone clinics, and hospital sites throughout the state. The program serves about 111,000 eligible participants each month. Participants must be a Tennessee resident, meet the gross income guidelines and be determined to be at nutritional or medical risk. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR CALL 1800-DIAL-WIC (1-800-342-5942)
