WASHINGTON, DC. "Veterans are a priority. That's why the President is proposing this historic budget with a landmark increase to continue the best health care and vital benefits to those veterans who count on VA the most," said United States Department of Veterans Affairs and former United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Chair James R. Nicholson. "With the support of Congress, we can take care of the needs of our newest generation of combat veterans, while honoring our commitment to veterans of earlier eras." Secretary Nicholson is shown here at center chairing the September 2005 full Council meeting with Department of Labor Assistant Secretary Charles S. Ciccolella (left), and Housing and Urban Development Secretary and incoming Chair Alphonso Jackson, and Council Executive Director Philip Mangano.

Continuing to demonstrate and support special concern for the nation's veterans who experience homelessness, the President's Budget proposes that VA receive a 17% increase for the VA Grant and Per Diem program, as well as increases in the Compensated Work Therapy and VA Medical Care programs. These programs have a record of making available to homeless veterans vital services and support.

The Administration's FY 07 Budget seeks a record $80.6 billion in the FY 07 Budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), with the overwhelming majority of these resources targeted for health care and disability compensation. The FY 07 proposal represents an increase of $8.8 billion, or 12.2%, above the Budget for FY 06.

The FY 07 Budget proposal calls for $38.5 billion in discretionary funding - mostly for health care, the largest increase in discretionary funding for VA ever requested by a President. For health care alone, the President's request is an increase of $3.5 billion (or more than 11%) over the FY 06 level, a 69% increase since since FY 01. The Budget proposal also would provide $42.1 billion in mandatory funding, mostly for compensation, pension, and other benefit programs.

The FY 07 Budget request also calls for a total investment of almost $3.2 billion in mental health services, which is $339 million above this year's level.

WASHINGTON, DC. "HUD remains committed to the goal of ending chronic homelessness," stated United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Chair Alphonso Jackson (pictured here) with the release of the FY 07 Budget. "HUD has aggressively pursued policies to move homeless individuals into permanent housing. Housing the chronically homeless population will free up more federal, state and local emergency resources for families and individuals who need shorter-term assistance."

The Budget proposes a $184 million increase for HUD's Homeless Assistance Grants, which include the Supportive Housing Program, Shelter Plus Care, the Single Room Occupancy Program, and the Emergency Shelter Grant Program.

A $502 million increase in funding is also included for the Housing Choice Voucher Program. This significant increase to the voucher program, in addition to a $639 million increase to Section 8 Project-Based rental assistance, will allow HUD to renew all existing rental housing assistance contracts, with an opportunity to help even more low-income families to afford decent rental housing. HUD estimates that these two programs combined will help 3.4 million American families afford a decent home.

The Budget seeks $300 million, a $14 million increase, under the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program to support stable housing, improved access to health care and more supportive services for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS. Through formula grants to states and local communities, as well as competitively awarded grants, these resources will provide critically needed housing assistance to more than 75,000 families.

The FY 07 HUD Budget includes $24.8 million for the Prisoner Reentry Initiative, a multi-agency program with the Departments of Labor and Justice to help individuals exiting prison make a successful transition to community life and long-term employment.

WASHINGTON, DC. President Bush proposed the final resources needed to achieve his goal of establishing 1,200 health centers across the United States. The President's FY 07 Budget for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), released February 6, includes an increase in targeted homelessness resources, 12.6% in additional funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Health Care for the Homeless program. It also provides an increase of $181 million in HRSA funding for more than 300 new or expanded health center sites that will provide health care to an additional 1.2 million individuals in medically underserved communities. This funding will establish 80 new centers in poor rural and urban counties across the country. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt is pictured here.

The FY 07 Budget also seeks $98 million under the Access to Recovery program for grants to 20 states to provide access to effective substance abuse treatment. Incentives will be available to states that voluntarily distribute a portion of their Substance Abuse Block Grant funds through a voucher system that will allow individuals to exercise choice among qualified community provider organizations, including those that are faith-based.

$25 million within the Access to Recovery program is proposed to reduce methamphetamine abuse, which has more than doubled between 2002 and 2004. The SAMHSA funds will be targeted to states with high methamphetamine prevalence to provide vouchers for clinical treatment and recovery support services.

A new Domestic HIV/AIDS Initiative includes $188 million, of which $95 million will be provided through the Ryan White program for treatment and outreach, and $93 million in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for increased testing among high- risk populations. The primary objectives of this initiative are to reduce the number of new HIV infections each year, diagnose those Americans who are unaware they are infected with HIV, and provide care and treatment to individuals who have limited or no access to health care.

The President's Budget also provides $50 million within the Compassion Capital Fund to support the First Lady's Youth At Risk Initiative for faith-based and community organizations with a demonstrated history of providing services to youth and families in disadvantaged situations.

WASHINGTON, DC. In addition to the targeted increases proposed by President Bush in FY 07 funding for the Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs, increases are also proposed in federal mainstream and other programs, which are key to meeting the needs of people who are experiencing or who are at risk of experiencing homelessness. These programs represent critical links to larger resources accessible through mainstream programs, the focus of the federal Policy Academies convened by the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, and Veterans Affairs, and the Interagency Council on Homelessness around the country for state government leaders.

Highlights from President Bush's proposed Budget for FY 07 include the following:

The Administration proposes $1.9 billion for HUD's HOME program, an increase of $123 million from this year. HOME is the largest federal block grant program dedicated to creating housing for low- income families. The HUD Budget also includes a $502 million increase for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, and a $639 million increase in Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (see HUD story in this issue).

Under the HHS Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Administration proposes an increase of $100 million for a new state grant program for Family Formation and Healthy Marriage. This initiative builds on the $150 million Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood program that was included in the TANF reauthorization. These new programs address areas that the Administration considers vital to the TANF purposes of strengthening families and improving the well-being of children.

The FY 07 Budget includes $20 million in DOL funding for the Prisoner Reentry Initiative, a $60 million multi- agency program also using proposed HUD ($25 million) and DOJ ($15 million) resources. The Prisoner Reentry Initiative is designed to help individuals leaving prison make a successful transition to community life and long term employment. The DOL budget also includes $3.4 billion in funding for the Administration's new Career Advancement Accounts job training proposal. Funds for these self-directed accounts would be targeted toward individuals in need of employment assistance and to states to provide basic employment services.

Members of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness are pictured here at the September 2005 Council meeting.

WASHINGTON, DC. New FY 06 federal funding is now available from the Department of Health and Human Services to communities seeking to link treatment services with housing programs and other services (e.g., primary care) for homeless individuals with substance abuse disorders and mental illness, or with co-occurring disorders. On February 6, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) announced the availability of FY 06 funds for awards under the Development of Comprehensive Drug/Alcohol and Mental Health Treatment Systems for Persons Who are Homeless program. Applications are due April 6.

SAMHSA expects to fund up to 25 awards under this program in FY 06. Up to $3.7 of the $9.7 million in funds awarded will be available for grants to assist people experiencing chronic homelessness. Annual awards are expected to be $400,000 per year in total costs (direct and indirect) for up to five years. No cost-sharing is required.

Eligible entities include units of local government, federally recognized tribes, tribal organizations, community- and faith-based organizations, and community-based state entities, such as state colleges, universities, and hospitals.

SAMHSA's Services Grants are designed to address gaps in substance abuse and mental health services and/or to increase the ability of states, units of local government, federally recognized tribes, tribal organizations, and community- and faith-based organizations to help specific populations or geographic areas with serious, emerging mental health and substance abuse problems. SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie is pictured here.

With this issue of the e-news, we continue our coverage of excerpts from statements made by public sector leaders who are demonstrating results in ending chronic homelessness. These Words of the Week come from President George W. Bush in the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2007, released on February 6, 2006.

. . . My Administration expects to be held accountable for significantly improving the way the Government works. In every program, and in every agency, we are measuring success not by good intentions or by dollars spent, but rather by results achieved.

. . . Managing for results and achieving them requires three key elements: a clear definition of success for every program and activity; a clear action plan for achieving success; and a system of accountability that ensures that programs perform as promised.

President and Mrs. Bush are pictured here visiting a service program.

. . . that the President's Budget for FY 07 includes $4.157 in targeted federal funding for homelessness programs, a record sixth consecutive year of increased funding. The proposed budget includes over $2 billion for programs in seven federal agencies authorized under the McKinney-Vento Act, a 10.2% increase over funding enacted in FY 06. The proposed Budget also includes $2 billion in targeted non-McKinney Act resources, a 3.3% increase over FY 06.

"In a difficult budget season, the Administration has once again increased targeted resources for homeless people. There is no question that the increase is directly related to the quantifiable results that are being achieved on the streets of our nation through the national partnership of cities, counties, and states implementing 10-year plans," stated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano.