Acting Administrator
David L. Bibb
General Services Administration

ICH Director Meets With Utah's Elected Leaders and Tours Homeless Service Programs

"I like it here, people are good to me and I feel like I can work on putting my life together" said Ken, one of the many homeless vets currently living at Valor House, a transitional housing program run in partnership between the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City and the Veterans Administration Salt Lake City Health Care System. Ken was speaking with Philip Mangano, Executive Director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness who visited with him and other residents of Valor House during an August 21 tour of Salt Lake County's homeless assistance programs. Dwight Peterson, Field Office Director for the Utah HUD Office and Kelly Jorgensen and Pauline Zvonkovic, Operations Specialists took part in the day-long tour.

Mr. Mangano's second stop was at the Salt Lake County Government Complex, where he met with Nancy Workman, the first elected County Mayor, and their Human Services Director, Kerry Steadman. Mr. Mangano spoke of the importance of establishing State Interagency Councils on Homelessness to better coordinate resources and address homelessness issues at the state level and Mayor Workman offered her support for developing such a council in Utah.

A tour of Valley Mental Health's (VMH) Safe Haven I and II rounded out the morning. Safe Haven II is VMH's latest permanent housing project dedicated to serving chronically mentally ill homeless individuals. The project allows VMH to offer drop-in-center services, and transitional and permanent housing for this very vulnerable population. Barbara Johnson, VMH's funding consultant, Mitzie Stewart, VMH Program Coordinator and Robert Snarr, State Adult Programs Manager for the Department of Human Services, State Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, joined Mr. Mangano for the Safe Haven tour. Utah has endorsed the goal of ending chronic homelessness in 10 years and services to the mentally ill homeless population are a priority for the state Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

A working lunch was held with Salt Lake City Council members Nancy Sexton and Eric Jergensen. The Council Members discussed the City's current support for sustaining closely related homeless services in geographic proximity to the City's main shelter to ensure the homeless are served effectively. Mr. Mangano cited a number of studies and model programs, which could be replicated in the city or used as guides to assist the Council develop a proactive policy to end homelessness in Salt Lake City.

At the State Capitol, Mr. Mangano addressed the State Homeless Coordinating Council, whose members were being sworn in by Lieutenant Governor Olene Walker. In his remarks, Mr. Mangano highlighted the Administration's goal " to end chronic homelessness within ten years". He asked for the Council's support to develop a more expansive Statewide Interagency Council on Homelessness and expressed his support for the State's goal to develop a ten year plan to end the "moral disgrace" of homelessness.

The final two stops of the day included tours of Volunteer of America's (VOA) Detox Center for Women and their Children, and the Road Home, Salt Lake City's main shelter. Jeff St. Romaine, President and CEO of VOA- Utah and Center Director Cathy Brey provided an overview of the Center's program of services. The Center is the only detox facility that allows women to come into treatment without relinquishing custody of the children. The Road Home, located on the West side of Salt Lake City is the County's main shelter facility and serves upwards of 400 or more people per night. Matt Minkevitch, Director of the Road Home, Sheila Walsh-McDonald of Salt Lake Community Action and Bill Crim, Director of Utah Issues led the tour and then met with Mr. Mangano at the day's end to finalize a framework for local action to support Interagency Council on Homelessness' initiatives.