The Region 1 Consortium serves more than twenty charter schools in Philadelphia County, PA. The goal of the Consortium is to manage funding being provided to Local Education Associations (LEAs) by the American Rescue Plan – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) and Pennsylvania’s Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) program. This site serves as a point of reference for all member LEAs and as a dispensary for all relevant documentation.

ECYEH is a Pennsylvania Department of Education initiative that is based on the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This federal legislation provides support infrastructure for state and local agencies providing care to children and youth who are experiencing homelessness. Principle goals of the Region 1 Consortium include, but are not limited to: identifying children and youth experiencing homelessness, ensuring that children and youth experiencing homelessness are able to attend school and participate fully in school activities, and providing wraparound services that address the multiple effects of COVID-19 on children and youth experiencing homelessness.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has designated the Center for Schools and Communities (CSC), a division of the Central Susquehanna Instructional Unit, as the managing body of the funding from this program. A CSC staff member has been appointed to be a Consortium Navigator and will be assisting with the deployment of ARP-HCY funds.

Schedule a meeting with the Consortium program administrator for additional information:

Items such as eyeglasses, school supplies, articles of personal hygiene, clothing, uniforms, and technology are all eligible for reimbursement. Generally, all items that are customarily used by students and beyond school grounds are eligible. Consider any products that, if provided to a student experiencing homelessness, would eliminate barriers to their attendance and achievement in school. Bulk purchases are eligible and are defined as an order of a single kind of product in units greater than 5 or $100, whichever is greater.

Financial assistance through ARP-HCY is eligible in many forms. Some examples include: curricular and extra-curricular fees, fees associated with community-based organizations, access to high-speed internet, fees associated with an application for post-secondary education/career-preparation, store cards or gift cards,  and emergency housing expenses. Generally, all fees that are customarily paid by a student or the family of a student may be eligible for reimbursement.

Tutoring services are subject to specific limitations. You must be able to identify a session provider. Sessions are limited to five per student. Additional financial aid may be provided upon review, where additional funding permits.

Mentoring and coaching sessions may also be provided to students. Such sessions must be a benefit to students emotionally and/or professionally. Examples of eligible coaching and mentoring include: Big Brother/Big Sister programs, career coaching, FAFSA guidance, college admissions guidance, and skills for living assistance.

Funding is also available for assistive technology and social-emotional support. Consider items for which funding is not readily available through other channels, but is necessary for students to succeed within a scholastic environment. This includes calculators, fidgets, and devices used for the purpose of communication.

Mental health services require preapproval prior to the beginning of sessions for which reimbursement will be issued. This process may be expedited in order to accommodate urgent needs. Single reimbursement requests may be for up to five sessions, though additional requests may be approved on a case by case basis.

Prior to scheduling mental health services, the LEA must have received notification that an application for pre-approval has been approved. Please arrange for the LEA to be billed directly for services.

Please be aware, all sessions must be completed within the anticipated timeframe. Funds will be help in reserve for the LEA for up to one month past the anticipated conclusion of services.

Mental health services will be defined broadly as a session or series of sessions dedicated exclusively to the emotional wellbeing of an individual (in this instance, a student experiencing homelessness). Some examples include medication evaluation/review, family counseling, individual counseling, and mediation.

Family services apply to any support offered for the exclusive purpose of supporting or aiding in the communication with families of students experiencing homelessness, where it is appropriate.

The Consortium will consider all of the following, and others, for reimbursement under this category: expenses arising from the care of students experiencing homelessness (transportation passes, gasoline reimbursement, emergent housing needs), and translation services for verbal and written correspondence.

ARP-HCY allows for provisions for all employees who have contact with students experiencing homelessness to receive reimbursement for professional development. Eligible subjects for professional development include: trauma informed practices, social-emotional learning, programmatic support, certifications, day training, online training, and training for parents. You may also purchase learning resources such as training modules or learning guides for school staff working with the impact of COVID on students experiencing homelessness on topics such as trauma-informed care, social-emotional learning, student outreach and engagement, dropout prevention, and school climate/culture. Below you will find free-to-use resources.

ARP-HCY offers provisions for a number of services and products for the benefit of students experiencing homelessness. This includes local or regional marketing, the development and distribution of outreach and awareness materials, the professional translation of new and existing forms and materials, and any effort with the express goal of identifying and supporting student experiencing homelessness. It is encouraged that you submit an application for any service or product for which it may be reasonable to reimburse under ARP-HCY guidelines.

Requests for reimbursement are fulfilled in a multi-tiered process. Member LEAs must first furnish all appropriate accounting documents, apply and receive confirmation of pre-approval, and supply relevant expense documentation.

Application for Pre-approval

It is critical that an application for pre-approval must be submitted AND approved before the date of service or purchase for which you will be requesting reimbursement. Reimbursement will not be issued retroactively; you must receive pre-approval. Pre-approvals are generally categorized as direct services to students, wrap-around services, and indirect services to students. Read below for more extensive detail about the process for most allowable expenses, according to ARP-HCY guidelines.

Upon notification of pre-approval, which will be delivered by email from the Consortium Navigator, you must prepare expense documentation, await final approval of your application, and allow for payment to be issued. Continue below for details pertaining to the conclusion of the reimbursement process.

Below, you will find helpful information pertaining to ARP-HCY and serving students who have been identified as McKinney-Vento eligible. Information will include legislative backgrounds, programmatic goals, and site-level guidance.

ECYEH Directories

Allowable and Strategic Uses of Funds

Help for Working within Consortia

RI M-V Full Needs Assessment

RI M-V Abbreviated Needs Assessment

Meeting Transportation Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness

Service Delivery Workflow Chart

Steps to Request and Receive Reimbursement Workflow Chart

ARP-HCY State Set-aside Checklist

Gift Card Agreement

Using ARP-HCY funds

ARP-HCY in Pennsylvania

Federal ARP-HCY details

McKinney-Vento Program Overview

The McKinney-Vento Act

McKinney-Vento Grant Performance

ARP-HCY Sub-grant Performance

National Center for Homeless Education

NCHE State Profile – PA

We encourage members of the Consortium to develop a succession plan for Homeless Liaisons to ensure the continuation of participation. This is an effort to support individuals as they take on the responsibility of the position. You may meet with the Consortium Navigator to design a reasonable organization methodology, which will increase on-site synergy and offer some ease in the process of identifying students who are experiencing homelessness. Please email the Consortium Navigator at [email protected] to schedule a meeting.