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BRAP - Basic Eligibility and Program Information

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Bridging Rental Assistance Program
Program Summary

The Bridging Rental Assistance Program (BRAP) is a housing program developed by the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS). It was established in recognition that people with psychiatric disabilities are often unable to afford to rent safe, decent, and sanitary housing of their choice in the community. BRAP is designed to assist individuals with housing assistance for up to 24 months or until they are awarded a Housing Choice Voucher (aka Section 8 Voucher) or other federal subsidy, whichever comes first. For this reason, units subsidized by BRAP funding must meet Housing Choice Voucher requirements (within Fair Market Rent and Housing Quality Standards) so recipients may continue to reside in their apartments once awarded a voucher, if they so choose.

Program participants pay 51% of their income for rent. BRAP subsidizes the remaining portion of the rent up to the Fair Market Rent.

BRAP Eligibility

I. DHHS requires that recipients of BRAP meet the following criteria:

  1. Class Members of the AMHI Consent Decree; OR
  2. Adults with Severe and Disabling Mental Illness who meet Eligibility For Care Criteria for Community Support Services as defined in Section 17.02 of the MaineCare Benefits Manual

II. DHHS requires that all recipients of BRAP also meet the following conditions:

  1. Adults who are receiving or are in the process of being (re-)instated for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Disability Income (SSDI)—in cases where applicants have no current SSI/SSDI or other income source, documentation of General Assistance or another source of income (TANF, Employment, etc) must be in place or documentation of conditional approval must be present; and
  2. Applicants must have previously applied for Federal Section 8 Rental Assistance through their local Public Housing Authority or other local Section 8 administering agency. If the wait list is closed, the applicant may be eligible for a waiver of this eligibility criterion provided that he/she agrees to and completes a Section 8 application at time of opening. Section 8 wait list status must be maintained to continue to receive BRAP assistance.

Note: Providing eligibility criteria has been met, any previous BRAP recipient may re-apply for subsidy, as long as he or she is in good standing with any housing subsidy program administered by DHHS (Bridging Rental Assistance Program &/or Shelter Plus Care) and has not exceeded the maximum 24-month allocation. Applicants who owe any DHHS subsidy program for back rent, damages, security, etc., may be considered for readmission providing that at least one of the following minimum criteria have been met:

  1. 50% of account balance must be paid before move in. The remaining balance must be paid over a term not to exceed 12 months; or
  2. Establishment of a Representative Payee and a documented payment plan not to exceed 12 months; or
  3. Charges have been adjudicated through the BRAP Appeals or DHHS Grievance Process.

Priorities

BRAP funds will be provided on a priority basis to eligible individuals only within each priority level on a ranked basis, as indicated below:

  1. Eligible people who are leaving State psychiatric institutions (Riverview, Dorothea DIX); and individuals in private psychiatric hospital beds; or those who have been discharged in the last six months from any of these institutions.
  2. Eligible people who are homeless as defined by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance act as funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (See Appendix 2).
  3. Eligible people who are living in Substandard Housing in the community, as defined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (See Appendix 3).
  4. Eligible people who are moving from community residential programs and other behavioral health facilities, to more independent living arrangements.

Department of Health & Human Services
Bridging Rental Assistance Program (BRAP) and Shelter Plus Care
Local Administrative Agents

Aroostook County James McClay
AMHC SkyHaven 2 Airport Drive Presque Isle,Maine 04769
207-764-0759
Androscoggin County Karen Bate-Pelletier
Common Ties
140 Canal Street
Lewiston, ME 04240
207-795-6051
Cumberland County Melany Mondello
Shalom House, Inc.
400 Congress St.,
PO Box 560
Portland, Maine 04112
207-874-1080
Franklin, Oxford, Northern Cumberland Counties

Joan Detel
Tri-County MH
1155 Lisbon St.
PO Box 2008
Lewiston, Maine 04142
207-353-4100

Lincoln, Sagadahoc Counties & Brunswick, Harpswell, Freeport Rita Defio
Sweetser MH
18 Pleasant Street
Brunswick, Maine 04011
207-373-3049
Penobscot, Washington, Hancock, Piscataquis Counties Sandra Kimball
Community Health and Counseling
42 Cedar St., PO Box 425
Bangor, ME 04402
207-947-0366
Somerset, Northern Kennebec Counties Barbara Worthley
Kennebec Valley Mental Health
67 Eustis Parkway
Waterville, Maine 04901
207-873-2136
Southern Kennebec County Susanne Thomas
Motivational Services
PO Box 229
Augusta, Maine 04332
207-626-3465
Waldo, Knox, Lincoln Counties Rita Defio
Sweetser MH
18 Pleasant Street
Brunswick, Maine 04011
207-373-3049
York County Ginny Dill
Counseling Services, Inc.
PO Box 1010
Saco, ME 04072
207-282-6126
 

Housing Coordinator:

Lori Nicholas
Kristen Fortier
175 Lancaster Street
Portland, Maine 04101
207-822-0150
Jim Jaroz
Greenlaw Bldg. AMHI Campus
Augusta, Maine 04333
207-287-9151

Pam Godin
176 Hogan Road
Bangor, Maine 04401
207-941-4311
 

 


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