WASHINGTON, DC. The Bush Administration today announced an unprecedented fifth consecutive year of increased funding for federal programs serving persons who are homeless, proposing an overall 8.5% increase in programs across a range of federal agencies that will provide a record $4 billion in targeted homeless assistance in FY 06. The proposed new $200 million Samaritan Housing Initiative at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), proposed at nearly three times its FY 05 level and part of an overall increased HUD homeless funding request of $1.44 billion, will target persons experiencing chronic homelessness and continue to forward the Administration's commitment to end the long-term homelessness of persons with disabilities.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD). The Administration proposes record resources for the HUD homeless programs, including a new $200 million Samaritan Housing Initiative for persons experiencing chronic homelessness which includes housing paired with case management and supportive services. Including the new initiative, overall HUD McKinney-Vento homeless spending will increase. The HUD homeless budget also includes $25 million request for the multi-agency Prisoner Reentry Initiative.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS). The Administration proposes funding in several HHS programs that will support homelessness prevention efforts. Health Care for the Homeless Programs are proposed for a 17.9% increase. The FY 06 budget seeks $150 million to expand access to effective treatment and maintain existing commitments under the 2004 $100 million Access to Recovery substance abuse treatment voucher program for 14 states. Including the proposed Health Care for the Homeless increase, $2.0 billion is sought for Health Centers in medically underserved areas, a $304 million increase, fulfilling the President's commitment to create or expand 1200 center sites by 2006 and begin the commitment to establish a center in every high poverty area that can support one through the creation of 40 new sites at a cost of $26 milion. Almost 2.4 million additional individuals will receive health care in 2006 through over 570 new or expanded sites in rural or underserved areas. In addition, $100 million is proposed for the Compassion Capital Fund to advance the efforts of community-based charitable organizations, including faith based organizations, by enhancing their ability to provide social services, expand their organizations, diversify their funding, and create collaborations to serve those in need. In the area of homelessness prevention, $60 million is proposed for the Foster Care Independent Living Program to help older foster care youth transition to adulthood and self sufficiency after leaving care, and the Administration will seek legislation to provide states with options for alternative systems to foster care.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA). Continuing to demonstrate and support special concerns for the nation's veterans who experience homelessness, the President's budget proposes $231 million to directly support VA's homeless network and a 12.5% increase of an additional $1.5 billion for Medical Care to homeless veterans. A 3.2% increase is proposed for the Domiciliary Care Program for veterans, with a funding request of $60.5 million. Non-McKinney homeless spending for veterans will also rise, with a requested 15% increase for the VA Grant and Per Diem program, and a 2.9% increase to $3.6 million for the HUD-VA Supportive Housing program. A 3.8% increase is sought for the Compensated Work Therapy program, with a request of $11 million.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL). For FY 06, the Administration requests a 5.8% increase to $22 million for the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) successful Homeless Veterans Reintegration Projects (HVRP) to help homeless veterans reintegrate into the workforce, maintain strong transition assistance efforts to help returning military personnel successfully return to the civilian workforce, raise awareness in the employer community of the skills that veterans can provide, and ensure that military members know that their jobs will be protected when they return. DOL also partners in the overall $75 million Prisoner Reentry Initiative to help individuals leaving prison make a successful transition to community life and long term employment. The Reentry Initiative teams Federal agencies with faith-based and community organizations to help recently released prisoners make a successful transition back into society and long-term in a collaborative effort of the Departments of Labor, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development. The Reentry Initiative includes $15 million in the Department of Justice, and $25 million in HUD programs.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ). In addition to the Prisoner Reentry Initiative described above, the Administration proposes $44.1 million for the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program (RSAT), which helps state and local governments implement drug treatment in correctional facilities so that offenders can re-enter society free of addiction. Successful reentry is a key to homelessness prevention for the ex-offender population, and RSAT supports both pre-release and post-release treatment. RSAT seeks to enhance the capability of states and local government to provide residential substance abuse treatment for incarcerated inmates, prepare offenders for their reintegration into the communities from which they came by incorporating reentry planning activities into treatment programs, and assist both offenders and their communities through the reentry process through the delivery of both community-based treatment and other broad-based aftercare services.

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA). SSA proposes to complete implementation of several initiatives that will provide reduced processing times for applications and improving accuracy of decisions, both measures that can benefit homeless applicants for SSI/SSDI. SSA proposes to complete the adoption of the "Electronic Disability Folder" replacing paper processes. In FY 06, SSA will also increase its use of video hearings for appeals to Administrative Law Judges for individuals denied initial claims for disability benefits. Video hearings allow faster scheduling and less travel times for applicants and witnesses, a benefit for those in rural areas.

U.S. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS (USICH). The President has proposed a 28% funding increase for the United states Interagency Council on Homelessness for FY 06. The Council was revitalized in 2002 to create the federal strategy and coordinate the response to homelessness and forward the Administration's commitment to end chronic homelessness in 10 years through interagency, intergovernmental, intragovernmental, and intercommunity partnerships and collaborations, particularly in fostering relationships with Governors and Mayors to create jurisdictional 10-Year Plans to end chronic homelessness. As of February 1, 2005, there are 50 Governors of State and territories that have taken steps to establish State Interagency Councils on Homelessness and over 175 mayors and county executives that have committed to jurisdictional 10-Year Planning processes to end chronic homelessness.

WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-news focuses on remarks made by President Bush today in his "Budget Message of the President. "In every program, and in every agency, we are measuring success not by good intentions, or by dollars spent, but rather by results achieved. This Budget takes a hard look at programs that have not succeeded or shown progress despite multiple opportunities to do so. My Administration is pressing for reforms so that every program will achieve its intended results."

"The 2006 Budget also affirms the values of our caring society. It promotes programs that are effectively providing assistance to the most vulnerable among us. We are launching innovative programs such as Cover the Kids, which will expand health insurance coverage for needy children. We are funding global initiatives with unprecedented resources to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic, respond to natural disasters, and provide humanitarian relief to those in need. The 2006 Budget continues to support domestic programs and policies that fight drug addiction and homelessness and promote strong families and lives of independence. And in all our efforts, we will continue to build working relationships with community organizations, including faith-based organizations, which are doing somuch to bring hope to Americans."