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News from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness

4.18.2011      

In This Issue
FY 2011 Budget Update
Historic Convening in Los Angeles
Partnerships in Focus: SAMHSA
HUD Funding Announcement
Senior Administration Officials Visit DC Nonprofit
Joining Forces Initiative
Opening Doors: a Framework for Participatory Leadership

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Budget Finalized Through September 30: Flat Funding for Homeless Related Programs and Cuts to Critical Mainstream Programs

Last Friday, President Obama signed into law H.R. 1473 that provides funding to the federal government through September 30, 2011. As President Obama said upon reaching the bi-partisan agreement, "some of the cuts we agreed to will be painful. Programs people rely on will be cut back ...  And I would not have made these cuts in better circumstances."

Despite the $38.5 billion in cuts, vital programs to the success of the goals of Opening Doors in general received flat funding. These related programs include:
  • $40 million increase for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program (a total of $1.905 billion);
  • Over 7,500 new housing vouchers for Veterans experiencing homelessness through HUD - VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program;
  • $116 million for Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs, equal to the FY 2010 level; and
  • $18.4 billion for Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, enough to fund all existing vouchers.
Upon passage of the Budget, Washington Senator Patty Murray noted, "instead of being shut out, thousands of homeless veterans will receive new vouchers to find safe and secure housing under this agreement. Instead of being drastically cut, Head Start will continue to provide low income children with the same early learning advantages available to other kids. And instead of being turned away, women will still have access to local care for cervical and breast cancer screenings, prenatal care, and family planning services."

Funding geared towards implementation of the HEARTH Act in the President's Fiscal Year 2011 Budget was not allocated in the final bill. In addition, there was a $650 million cut to Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) which provide essential funding to communities across the country.  Loss of critical funding for Community Health Centers, Rural Health Care Programs, SAMSHA, and a variety of housing programs at HUD provides the federal government additional challenges in its efforts to prevent and end homelessness. In the coming weeks, USICH will provide a full breakdown of the funding for homeless related programs in Fiscal Year 2011.

Historic Convening to End Homelessness in Los Angeles 

LA Convening Home for Good Summit

Last week, USICH co-hosted an historic convening with over 140 federal, state, and local leaders to determine the best ways to partner around better access to and utilization of federal funding, services, and resources to end chronic and Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles County. USICH Executive Director Barbara Poppe was joined by HUD Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development Mercedes Marquez, HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Sandra Henriquez, and representatives from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Veterans Affairs, and the Social Security Administration.

The convening was a broad based gathering of local government, nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropy. Building off the momentum from the release of Home for Good, the summit provided a roadmap to improve collaboration and allow participants to engage on the extensive federal investment in Los Angeles County related to homelessness.

 

USICH's Poppe urged Los Angeles to shift from Housing Readiness to Housing First, focus funding on chronic homelessness, collaborate to improve the delivery of housing and services, and coordinate funding across providers and partners in order to achieve the goals of ending chronic and Veteran homelessness within five years. Attendees developed key steps federal and local partners could take to help Los Angeles make these shifts and achieve the two goals. 

Home For Good was created by the Business Leaders Task Force and includes specific steps, benchmarks, and measurements to end chronic and Veteran homelessness. 

PARTNERSHIPS IN FOCUS: THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

 

SAMHSA logo

Critical New Grant Opportunity for Cooperative Agreements to Benefit Homeless Individuals (CABHI) 


Funding is now available to organizations to support the development and expansion of local community infrastructures and the integration of treatment services and other supportive services with permanent housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness. Through this funding, SAMHSA seeks to increase the number of individuals placed in permanent supportive housing. This funding also intends to support community-based providers in greater efforts to enroll individuals who are chronically homeless in mainstream programs and obtain reimbursement for behavioral health through programs like Medicaid. Applications for awards of up to $500,000 are due May 27, 2011.

Learn more about your eligibility and apply for this grant.

  

Applying Lessons Learned from Substance Abuse Prevention Field to Homelessness Prevention

 

On April 12, SAMHSA hosted a session focused on applying lessons learned from the substance abuse prevention field to homelessness prevention. In addition to including experts from across SAMHSA, researchers, practitioners, and advocates came from across the country to share ideas, talk about what we are learning from research on homelessness prevention programs and the experiences of specific communities. Staff from other parts of the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the Departments of Education and Veterans Affairs were a part of the day-long dialogue. USICH Deputy Director Jennifer Ho facilitated the event, helping develop a common understanding of the language of prevention, as well as reaching consensus on a set of guiding principles that might help federal agencies, local policymakers and practitioners focus new homelessness prevention investments to be as effective and efficient as possible. SAMHSA will be preparing a summary of the day. 

 

Highlights included increasing the understanding of basic frameworks for thinking about prevention for those who are more steeped in homelessness, and helping those more steeped in broader public health prevention learn more about homelessness. Mike Lowther, Deputy Director for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention made the observation that although knowledge about homelessness prevention may not have risen to the level of well researched evidence-based practice, we know a lot more than we think we do. Our major challenge is to get communities to implement what we do know on a scale that is large enough to reach everyone in need, with effective collaborations among mainstream and targeted homeless programs. 

 

Guiding principles will be forthcoming that capture current best thinking on homelessness prevention including: the need to focus on housing stability, research, collaboration, consumer involvement, the role of mainstream programs, targeting efficiently, and the need for more public education.  


There are a number of important federal initiatives under way that are advancing our ability to prevent homelessness in communities around the country. Precious resources need to be invested wisely so that they reach people who would have become homeless without the intervention, and help those who have become homeless return to housing.  

 

SAMHSA Three Year Strategic Plan

 

SAMHSA recently released its latest three year strategic plan, Leading Change: A Plan for SAMHSA's Roles and Actions 2011-2014. While homelessness and housing are not specific initiatives in the plan, these issues are emphasized in their recovery-support initiative which also includes other recovery-support services like employment and education. SAMHSA will continue to support individuals experiencing homelessness with mental health and substance use disorders with Supportive Housing Grants and in the work of Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH).    


Learn more about the initiatives and read the plan 

HUD ANNOUNCES FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SECTION 811 SUPPORTIVE HOUSING  

HUD recently announced $114 million in funding through the Section 811 program for the development and operation of supportive housing facilities for very low income individuals 18 years or older with a disability. This funding seeks to encourage the development of more supportive housing units for those with disabilities and to ensure the maintenance of existing facilities and supportive services.
 
Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations, and may apply at grants.gov (Funding Announcement FR-5415-N-39). Applications are due by June 23, 2011.

DC NONPROFIT HONORS HHS SECRETARY SEBELIUS AND HOSTS  VALERIE JARRETT

Secretary Sebelius with N Street Village Executive Director Schroeder Stribling (L) and Board President Mary Funke (R)

   

In the past two weeks, a local DC nonprofit, N Street Village, that serves women experiencing homelessness, poverty, mental illness, addiction, and chronic health problems had two special guests. Vice Chair of USICH and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleeen Sebelius received an award at the organization's annual gala, while Valerie Jarrett, Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls and Director of the Offices of Intergovernmental Affairs, Public Engagement, and Urban Affairs toured the facility and learned more about their programs.    

JOINING FORCES INITIATIVE

 

On April 13, First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden unveiled the Joining Forces Initiative, a comprehensive campaign to support our Veterans and military families. The initiative encourages all Americans to come together and support these families through service in their local communities in any way they can. Veterans and their families face challenges in employment, education for military children, and wellness during their time of deployment and transition, which can lead to instability. "Joining Forces will ask all Americans to take action, because each of us has a role to play in reconnecting with military families in our communities," noted First Lady Michelle Obama.

 

- Go to the Joining Forces Initiative website
- Learn how to get involved in your community

USICH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PRESENT WORK OF OPENING DOORS AT SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE IN COLUMBUS, OH

 

Those who have attended community meetings with USICH since Barbara Poppe became Executive Director have likely noticed that USICH has a non-traditional way of engaging stakeholders. When Barbara came to Washington DC, she brought with her experiences from Columbus, Ohio on new methods and tools to engage people in very participatory ways around community challenges like health and homelessness.  

 

For those who are interested in learning more about these practices, the Authentic Leadership In Action (ALIA) Summer Institute is an intensive leadership training for professionals and directors in the fields of health, education, and business. From June 24 - July 1, 2011, participants will learn from entrepreneurs and change makers how to implement models and tools for tackling complex challenges. Poppe will share the story of how Opening Doors was developed with a focus on how you can engage many partners to build a comprehensive and actionable plan. She will be joining a group of thought leaders from around the world in a discussion on how you can engage others in achieving your team's goals.

   

-Learn more about the ALIA Summer Institute and register 

USICH Mission

. . . to coordinate the federal response to homelessness and to create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to reduce and end homelessness in the nation while maximizing the effectiveness of the Federal Government in contributing to the end of homelessness.