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The
Administration's Samaritan Initiative proposal would bring new federal
housing and supportive services resources to the effort to end chronic
homelessness in ten years, including $70 million in new funding
for FY 2005. The legislation, which will be introduced by Congressman
Rick Renzi of Arizona shortly for congressional consideration this
year, would create a new permanent program under the McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act . The Samaritan Initiative program would
authorize new federal resources to be used for competitive grants
for community-based efforts to engage individuals experiencing chronic
homelessness and move them from the streets and out of shelters
to permanent supportive housing.
The
Samaritan Initiative is similar in focus to the recent $35 million
Collaborative Initiative. It is a multi-agency effort, bringing
together resources from the Departments of Housing and Urban Development,
Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs, to fund the most
promising local strategies to integrate housing with health care,
mental health, substance abuse treatment and other supportive services
to provide permanent supportive housing. It differs from the Collaborative
Initiative by providing new resources for the federal agencies and
creating ongoing statutory authority for the program to significantly
reduce the administrative hurdles faced by the agencies applicants,
and grantees in the Collaborative Initiative.
The
Administration's FY 2005 budget requests $70 million in new resources
for the Samaritan Initiative, of which $50 million would be for
the Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing resources,
$10 million for the Department of Health and Human Services for
mental health, substance abuse treatment and other supportive services,
and $10 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA involvement
is intended to ensure that chronically homeless veterans can be
identified, engaged, and referred to the appropriate VA services.
The
Samaritan Initiative is intended to address the most visible expression
of
homelessness in this country- persons with physical, mental or substance
abuse disabilities, living long term on our streets and in shelters.
This form of chronic homelessness is most often cited by the public,
the media, community leaders, neighborhood groups, Chambers of Commerce,
downtown business districts and others as demanding a response.
The Samaritan Initiative is an intervention strategy in the lives
of those who are experiencing chronic homelessness intended to end
their homelessness through innovative engagement and housing strategies.
Research
demonstrates that the supportive housing strategies the Samaritan
Initiative will support are not only effective in ending the homelessness
of individuals living long term on the streets and in shelters but
also cost effective for communities. Research shows that chronically
homeless persons are only 10% of the homeless population but consume
over 50% of homeless shelter resources and they cycle repeatedly
through a variety of expensive community care systems. One study
of nearly 5000 homeless persons with severe mental disorders found
that they had used an average of over $34,000 a year in public hospitalization
and correctional services.
The
Samaritan proposal is a key initiative of the U.S Interagency Council
on Homelessness representing a fresh approach to homelessness based
on accountability, collaboration and results. The Samaritan Initiative
comes as jurisdictions across the country are advancing strategies
and plans to end chronic homelessness through over 40 State Interagency
Councils on Homelessness and more than 90 city and county 10-Year
Plans to End Chronic Homelessness in development. Once introduced,
the legislation will need to be considered by both authorizing and
appropriations committees in the House and Senate. The House Financial
Services Committee has indicated an intention to give consideration
to the bill this year.
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