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Dear ,
Greetings! Here are a few quick updates on policy and politics related to ending homelessness in Minnesota:
Homeless Advocates Jump to Action - Legislative Conference Committees Debate Funding
As the last week of the official 2011 Minnesota Legislative session draws to a close, homeless advocates are closely watching the work of the Conference Committees (joint committees including both House of Representative members and Senators) as they debate funding levels.
As of votes taken on May 17th, the following is a quick review of the Legislative appropriation bills covering state programs serving Minnesotans without a home:
- Emergency Shelter Program - level funding, no cuts
- Transitional Housing Program - level funding, no cuts
- Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs - level funding, no cuts
- Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program - level funding, no cuts
- Rental Assistance for Mentally Ill (Bridges): No changes to base funding
- Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund - loss of $2.3 million from current funding levels
- Housing Trust Fund (source of rental assistance) - loss of $2 million from current funding levels
- Challenge Fund (affordable housing production) - loss of $4.8 million; base funding of $18.786 million reduced to $13.9 million.
One promising development is the majority's decision to increase funding for the Housing Trust Fund. The base funding for FY2012-2013 was $17.1 million; originally, the Senate had proposed no increase and the House cut the base by another $500,000. The Jobs & Economic Development Finance Conference Committee decided to increase the Housing Trust Fund by $2 million above the base to $19.1 million. The $2 million increase reflects the Governor's original position.
A remaining challenge is therestoration of funding to the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund (LTHSSF). Health and Human Service Finance Conference Committee members voted to support base funding of $9.8 million and an additional $700,000 in TANF reserves for the LTHSSF. Homeless advocates are grateful for the Legislature's leadership in restoring some of the lost funding. However, the proposed funding level of $10.5 million is $2.3 million short of the current funding level of $12.8 million. Legislative fiscal analysts confirm that there is sufficient TANF reserve funding to restore the LTHSSF to its current funding level of $12.8 million or more. Advocates continue to seek the support of the Governor and the Legislature in restoring full funding.
Other human services and public assistance funding has not fared as well in this Legislative session. General Assistance and Emergency Minnesota Supplemental Assistance are eliminated; adult mental health grants are reduced by $13 million; MinnesotaCare is overhauled; and early adopting of Health Care Reform and Medical Assistance is scratched and replaced with the Coordinated Care Delivery System that was instituted in metropolitan hospitals last year (but largely left Greater Minnesota grossly underserved).
Also, funding for affordable housing development has taken a considerable hit.
- Home Ownership Assistance Fund: reduced by $176,000; base funding of $1.77 million reduced to $1.59 million.
- Affordable Rental Investment Fund: reduced by $466,000; base funding of $15 million reduced to $14.6 million.
- Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program: reduced by $1.16 million; base funding of $6.06 million reduced to $4.89 million
- Homeownership Education Counseling & Training: reduced by $530,000; base funding of $1.7 million reduced to $1.2 million
- Capacity Building Grants: reduced by $250,000; base funding of $500,000 reduced to $250,000
Mental health programs also face considerable reductions. The following cuts over the next two years are proposed by the HHS Finance Conference Committee:
- Adult mental health grants reduced by $13.54 million (10%)
- Culturally specific services grants reduced by $300,000 (50%)
- Adult mental health crisis grants reduced by $750,000 (50%)
- Grants for adult psychiatric hospital contract beds reduced by $1.33 million (25%)
- Children's mental health screening grants reduced by $3.81 million (50%)
- Children's mental health evidence-based practices grant reduced by $750,000 (50%)
On the positive side, no cuts were proposed to the School-linked Mental Health grants or the subsidized adoption program.
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Special Session Likely for Legislature
May 23 is the official adjournment date for the State Legislature. As the date draws near, deep differences in the approach to the state budget remain between the Minnesota Legislature and Governor Dayton.
The Legislative chambers have started passing their budget bills, which represent an approach involving deep cuts as the primary means toward balancing the budget. Governor Dayton had agreed this week to reduce the amount of tax-generated revenues and increase his proposed cuts; he also met with GOP legislators Thursday to talk about the budget. However, the Governor's proposed compromise was met with strong resistance from the majority in the State Legislature. It appears that a special session is increasingly likely, given the lack of progress and divergent positions on raising revenue. __________________________
Workgroup Gathers Input on Performance Measures
A Steering Committee authorized by the Legislature to reform performance measures held a meeting to gather public input on May 16, 2011. Hosted in partnership with MCN, AMC, and MACSSA, the event focused on performance measures for mandated income support services.
Comprised of DHS, county, and nonprofit representatives, the Steering Committee on Performance and Outcome Reforms is charged with determining standards to evaluate achievement of desired outcomes for all mandated human services programs.
The Income Supports Work Group is working towards revising process measures to emphasize more outcome evaluation.
The Income Supports Work Group is one of three workgroups concerning performance measures for mandated services. A children's services workgroup involving measures for child protection, guardianship, and other services held a listening session for the public in September 2010; a public listening session will be announced for an adult supports work group sometime in the future. The Steering Committee has until December of 2012 to conclude its work on performance measures.
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Pending State Bills
The omnibus Health and Human Services budget bill (SF 760/ HF 927) was passed by the HHS Conference Committee last week and by the Legislature on Thursday, May 19. It requires the Governor's signature before it can go into effect, and a veto by Governor Dayton is possible.
- View the HHS Conference Committee Report here
- Find details in the HHS budget spreadsheet (posted in May) here
- Read about cuts prescribed in the bill, from the Minnesota Budget Project
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Federal Policy Update
FY 2012 Budgets
Federal budget balancing is starting to have an impact on proposed appropriation for homeless services and affordable housing. This week the House Appropriations Committee released its draft 302(b) allocations for FY 2012, which will serve as targets for each of the 13 subcommittees. After the 302(b) allocations are finalized, each subcommittee will make decisions about how to allocate these target amounts for the various programs under its authority. In the proposed allocations, the Transportation-HUD Subcommittee (which includes homelessness and housing programs) will receive $47.65 billion for FY 2012 funding. This is $7.7 billion below 2011 levels and $2.7 billion below the President's request for FY 2012. It appears that homeless advocates have a lot of work to do to secure funding in the next budget round in Congress.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH): "On Friday, May 13, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies marked up a bill for fiscal year (FY) 2012 appropriations for these agencies, which include the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The bill included a total of $72.5 billion in discretionary funding, which is $1.2 billion below the President's request for FY 2012. The bill proposed $939 million over two years for programs for homeless veterans. This is equal to the President's request for these programs for FY 2012."
McKinney-Vento
Congresswoman Gwen Moore wrote a "Dear Colleague" letter in support of the President's $2.37 billion request for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants in the FY 2012 budget. We are going to have significant funding challenges in the House and it is very important to show support for this account; please contact members of the House and encourage them to sign on to Rep. Moore's letter. The deadline for representatives to sign on is fast approaching; the letter will close late this week.
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act Outcomes
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) recently released a report to Congress outlining outcome measures for the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs for FY 2008 and FY 2009. Major findings include:
- A total of 44,536 youth were admitted to basic center (shelter) programs in FY 2008 and 40,102 were admitted in FY 2009. The most frequently identified issue was a need for assistance with family conflict.
- A total of 3,946 youth were admitted to transitional living programs in FY 2008 and 3,930 were admitted in FY 2009.
- Street Outreach is contacting more youth - youth outreach workers made contact with 766,817 youth in FY 2008 and 812,418 youth in FY 2009.
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Thank you for your interest and involvement in policy issues that affect all Minnesotans and especially the homeless and vulnerable populations being served.
Sincerely, |
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Richard Hooks Wayman
Executive Director, Hearth Connection
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