Upcoming Events
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May 14, 2009
Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's HPRP "How to Apply Workshop", Roanoke
More info
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May 19, 2009
Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development's HPRP "How to Apply Workshop", Richmond
More info
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September 24 - 25, 2009
Homeward Best Practices Conference, Richmond
More info
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November 18 - 20, 2009
Governor's Housing Conference, Norfolk Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
More info
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VCEH State Policy Survey
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VCEH
is beginning the process of determining our state legislative agenda
for the next General Assembly session (which begins January 2010). We
plan to finalize our legislative agenda by the summer so that there is
plenty of time to educate state legislators and request and gain their
support.
Your
input is critical to ensuring that the state legislative agenda on
homelessness reflects local realities and needs. Please complete this
brief survey by May 27, 2009, and forward to your colleagues so that
they can provide their input as well. Click here to take the surveyVCEH is convening a working group to flesh out a year long advocacy plan to increase awareness of policy solutions to prevent and end homelessness. If you would like to participate, let us know. |
Grant Funds Available for Homeless Mental Health Services in Virginia
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The
Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental
Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS) has announced the
availability of $1,248,000 in federal Projects for Assistance in
Transition from Homelessness (PATH) formula grant funds for the
delivery of outreach, engagement and supportive services to individuals
who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have Serious Mental
Illness (SMI) and/or SMI and co-occurring Substance Use Disorders
(SMI/SUD).
DMHMRSAS has released Request for Applications
(RFA) # 720C-04229-09D00 to solicit applications from Community
Services Boards (CSBs), Behavioral Health Authorities (BHAs) and
not-for-profit community-based 501(c)(3) organizations that have
experience in providing services to the target population, which
includes homeless veterans. Responses from not-for-profit
community-based organizations must demonstrate collaboration and
coordination with the CSB/BHA operating in their proposed service areas
in order to ensure successful engagement with mental health and
substance abuse treatment services.
DMHMRSAS
expects to make approximately 20 awards in high-need areas of the
Commonwealth, with average annual awards ranging from $50,000 to
$100,000. Funding for these programs will begin September 1, 2009 and
is expected to continue annually upon mutual agreement between all
parties, acceptable performance of the contractor, and continued
availability of federal funding. Interested organizations should
be aware that applicants are required to match 33% of federal PATH
funds requested with their own cash and/or in-kind contributions ($1
match per $3 of federal funds).The RFA document and related attachments can be accessed on the DMHMRSAS web site.
The RFA provides definitions of the PATH target population and
PATH-allowable services, and clear instructions for how to complete and
submit applications.
Applications must be received in the DMHMRSAS Office of Administrative Services by no later than 1 PM on Monday, June 8.
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State Policy Spotlight: Governor Creates Poverty Reduction Task Force
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Governor Timothy Kaine announced on May 7, 2009, the creation
of Virginia's Poverty Reduction Task Force, a collection of public and
private-sector partners who will make policy recommendations to combat
poverty in the Commonwealth. The taskforce, co-chaired by Secretary of
Health and Human Resources Marilyn B. Tavenner and Richmond attorney
Robert Grey, will present its recommendations in the spring of 2010.
The Governor announced the creation of the taskforce at "Rethinking
Poverty: Exploring Economic Opportunity for All Virginians," a summit
on poverty in the Commonwealth presented in partnership with the
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices.
In addition to reviewing local, state, and national research, the Task Force will also hold regional meetings to garner the public's perspectives on poverty.
Although Virginia has one of the lowest statewide poverty rates in the country, it also suffers from great regional disparities, with areas in the Southwest and Southside having rates over 17%.
Press Release from the Governor's Office
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| Research Finding: Supportive Housing Has Positive Impact |
The May 6 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) highlights results for the Chicago Housing for Health Partnership (CHHP) - a 15 member coalition of housing, healthcare, and respite care providers who provided homeless adults with chronic mental illness coordinated housing and case management with the goal of reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits.
The study found a 29 percent reduction in hospital days and a 24 percent reduction in emergency department visits. The authors estimate that for every 100 adults offered this intervention benefit would include 49 fewer hospitalizations, 270 fewer hospital days, and 116 fewer emergency department visits.
The study can be found on the website of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
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Federal Policy Spotlight: McKinney-Vento Reauthorization Passes Senate
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On
May 6, 2009, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed McKinney-Vento
reauthorization legislation - the Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act as an amendment included in a
larger bill (S. 896, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act). The
legislation, if enacted, will make the following changes to the
McKinney-Vento Continuum of Care program:
- Allows
up to 20 percent of funds to be used to prevent homelessness or rapidly
re-house people who become homeless through the new "Emergency
Solutions Grants" (formerly Emergency Shelter Grants). The eligible
activities are similar to the uses of the Homelessness Prevention and
Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP);
- Consolidates
the Supportive Housing Program, Shelter Plus Care, and the Moderate
Rehabilitation/Single Room Occupancy Program into a single Continuum of
Care program;
- Increases the emphasis on performance by measuring applicants' progress at reducing homelessness;
- Requires
that HUD provide incentives for "proven solutions", including rapid re-
housing programs for homeless families and permanent supportive housing
for chronically homeless individuals and families;
- Designates 30 percent of total funds for new permanent housing for families and individuals with a disability;
- Expands the definition of homelessness;
- Creates
the Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program, which would grant rural
communities greater flexibility in utilizing Homeless Assistance Grants
and allow them to use more funding for capacity building.
For more information on HEARTH, please click here.
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Virginia Beach Strengthens Partnerships with Faith Based Communities
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On April 29, 135 representatives from city government, nonprofit agencies, and faith communities attended the Virginia Beach Faith-Based Forum on Homelessness. Under increased pressure brought on by the economic downturn, some churches sought out government and nonprofit agencies to
identify how to work together to better meet the needs of hard-hit
local individuals and families.
Related article from the Virginian-Pilot.
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