HELENA, MONTANA. Bipartisan gubernatorial political will in planning and partnership to end homelessness in the "Treasure State" of Montana was evident this week as United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano met with Montana Lt. Governor John Bohlinger, who chairs the Montana Council on Homelessness. Meeting in the Montana State House, the officials discussed the revitalization of Montana's Council on Homelessness, a step taken by Governor Brian Schweitzer to re-issue and expand the state's Executive Order. The revitalization has also provided the appropriate opportunity for recalibrating the state's 10-Year Plan, "No Longer Homeless in Montana," first issued in 2006.

Director Mangano, meeting with Secretary of State Brad Johnson; Council Co-chair and Administrator of the Montana Human and Community Services Division Hank Hudson; Tom Friesen, HUD Director for Montana; Jim Nolan, Chief of the Intergovernmental Human Services Bureau; Jackie Williams, Staff to the Lt. Governor; Anna Whiting Sorrel, Governor's Family Policy Advisor on Families; and Sherrie Downing, Coordinator, Montana Council on Homelessness, commended the Lt. Governor and Council for the recalibration effort and the various innovative initiatives proposed by the Council. Montana's top two elected officials hail from different political parties, but are working in bipartisan partnership to advance the state's goals for a renewed Council and new expectation of results. Pictured above are Lt. Governor Bohlinger, Director Mangano, and Ms. Sorrel. Council Regional Coordinator Paul Carlson also participated. The visit was organized and supported by Linda Price of Rep. Dennis Rehberg's office, demonstrating the Congressman's continuing hospitality and interest in the issue.

The Council's original goal was to identify systems gaps and obstacles and to begin creating a 10-year plan to address them. When Governor Schweitzer appointed the 2007 - 2008 Council to advise him, he charged the members to review, modify and adopt the 10-Year Plan, and begin implementation. Montana reported more than a 30% reduction in chronic homelessness from 2005 to 2006.

The goals of the state plan are to increase access to, and coordination of, mainstream services; prevent homelessness by providing targeted, flexible one-time assistance for families; coordinate discharge from institutions with housing and services, which has included creating a reentry pilot for women; crafting solutions to meet the needs of specific populations, including the chronically homeless, homeless families, unattended youth, and the disabled, including supporting implementation of a social enterprise (see related story); creating and/or retaining low-income housing geared to meeting the needs of those living below 30% of the Area Median Income; developing sustainable resources specifically targeted to ending homelessness including examining best practices and conducting cost benefit analysis; and measuring success and documenting savings.

The state's initiatives include partnership with the City of Billings, the largest population center, where the Council sponsored a series of full-day community meetings that ultimately resulted in the appointment of the Mayor's Committee on Homelessness . Under the federal interagency SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery) initiatives, Montana has three SOAR trainers, and convened a Project Homeless Connect in 2007. The Montana Board of Housing at the Department of Commerce teamed up with the Job Corps and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America to provide Job Corps students the opportunity to learn skilled trades.

In establishing goals, the planners determined that there was underutilization of mainstream benefits available for families, with relatively few of the families surveyed participating in the programs that might help stabilize their lives, including TANF and SCHIP.

Council Chair Lt. Governor Bohlinger had a 33-year career as a small businessman and worked for many community organizations in the Billings area. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Billings Chamber of Commerce, First Interstate Bank West, and Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch. He is also a veteran of the Montana legislature. First elected in 1992 and served three terms in the House and and also the Senate.

BILLINGS, MONTANA. In the city that Montana calls "The Magic City" for its history of growth and progress, government and business partners convened this week to focus on employment and economic development strategies to end homelessness in the community. The Mayor's Committee on Homelessness convened a 2-day "Social Enterprise Conference" at the Montana State University- Billings College of Technology to bring together business and social service providers to stimulate discussion of the role of social entrepreneurs in solutions to homelessness.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to keynote the conference, joined Billings Mayor Ron Tussing, Downtown Business Alliance Executive Director Lisa Harmon, and Billings Community Development Manager and conference lead Brenda Becket for the launch of the event, along with the Committee's past and present chairs. Director Mangano commended the Mayor and Ms. Becket for their commitment to innovative initiatives in housing and employment.

Director Mangano, noting the intergovernmental partnership, bipartisan support, and innovative initiatives underway in Montana, commended the partners: "All of these elements, all of these strategies are aligned with the one, single metric we're interested in achieving: that metric is that the numbers of those suffering from the long misery of homelessness, from the human tragedy of not having a place to live - that those numbers go down."

CEO Steve Schwalb and Senior Vice President Marla Gese of Pioneer Human Services of Seattle, which is a leader in the development of social enterprise, utilizing business strategies to secure contracts and develop new businesses to train, employ, house, and support workers who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, acted as expert faculty for the business leaders, community partners, and providers. PHS began 40 years ago with a focus on the reentry population. Watch for next week's e- news which will profile PHS in detail.

Conference sponsors were Montana State Department of Health and Human Services, Rimrock Foundation, MSU - Billings College of Technology, Yellowstone County Council on Aging, United Way of Yellowstone County, Masterlube, Whittenberg Group, Yellowstone County Homeless Board, Downtown Billings Alliance, Yellowstone City - County Health Department, Mental Health Center - HUB, and T.E.A.M. Mentoring, Inc..

Mayor Tussing launched his 10-Year Plan in 2006 with a planning session that included keynote remarks by Director Mangano and involved 75 stakeholders from public and private sectors including officials from federal, state and local government, nonprofits, faith- based organizations and people experiencing homelessness. Awareness regarding homelessness in Billings had increased in the prior several months due in part to a series of articles published by the Billings Gazette. In 2007 The Committee convened a roundtable discussion on Understanding Homelessness in the American Indian Population as part of the community's 10- Year Plan development process. Data show that about 27% of the homeless population in Billings are Native Americans and statewide, the Native American population represents about 20% of the homeless population, though only 6% of the overall state population. The attendees were welcomed by Mayor Tussing and Lt. Governor Bohlinger.

Director Mangano previously visited Billings in 2005 at the invitation of Rep. and Mrs. Rehberg, to keynote the celebration of Billings' new Interfaith Hospitality Network Day Center for homeless families. The new Billings Interfaith Hospitality Network of Yellowstone site at American Lutheran Church is one of 17 congregations taking part in Billings.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA. "I think it's a moral imperative that we put this on our agenda," said Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty this week at the announcement in Orlando City Hall of the new Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, charged to begin work immediately to implement "Ten 2 End," the region's plan. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Crotty, Osceola County Commissioner Paul Owen, and Seminole County Chairwoman Brenda Carey announced the members of the new Commission on Homelessness, whose creation was one of the 25 recommendations of the "Ten 2 End" plan. A key recommendation of the planners was to establish a permanent public- private partnership to implement the plan's strategies.

Ed Timberlake, Chairman of Central Florida Seaside Bank and former Director and Chair of Heart of Florida United Way, will serve as Managing Chair of the Commission. Among the commission members are Walt Disney World President Meg Crofton, Darden Restaurants CEO Clarence Otis, and the Orlando Magic's COO, Alex Martins. Orlando Mayor Dyer and Orange County Mayor Crotty will serve as co-chairs. Seminole County Chairwoman Brenda Carey and Osceola County Commissioner Paul Owen will serve as founding members.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano joined the working Regional Commission for its launch at the Salvation Army downtown Orlando headquarters on June 11, 2007, with Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and a range of government partners including the office of Senator Mel Martinez, former U.S. Interagency Council Chair. Director Mangano commended those present for the regional intergovernmental partnership at work and stressed the importance of business leadership in the plan, noting: "Others may know far more about homeless people, but business leaders may know more about how to solve homelessness. Their insight and thinking sets the right trajectory for an expectation of visible, measurable and quantifiable results in ending homelessness." The planners completed "Ten 2 End" in late 2007.

The unique contribution of business leaders was echoed in the remarks of Tracy Schmidt, CFO of the CNL Financial Group, who served as the working group's chair. At the press event she noted what many business leaders across the nation have expressed when asked to serve on 10-Year Plan committees - that others know far more about homelessness: "When we started this work . . . many of us, me included, had no experience in the issue of homelessness," she said. "Frankly, I wondered how much I could really contribute. But the fact is, I've learned a great lesson, and that is we can all do something about the issue of homelessness."

WITH this issue, the e-news continues its coverage of the momentum building among Mayors and County officials who are Signatories to the unprecedented 12-point America's Road Home Statement of Principles and Actions to end chronic homelessness, bringing the signers to a total of more than 150.

New Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Yvonne Burke has become a signatory. Chair Burke has succeeded former Chair and current Supervisor and Signatory Zev Yaroslavsky.

During Council Director Mangano's visit to Billings, Montana this week (see related story), Billings Mayor Ron Tussing, whose city is developing a Plan, signed the Statement.

Visiting the Washington, DC Council office this week with a delegation of city and county officials concerned about homelessness and its solutions, Hinesville, Georgia Mayor James Thomas, Jr., and Liberty County, Georgia Board of Commissioners Chair John McIver also became signatories.

In Arlington, Texas, Mayor Tony Rutugliano has become a signatory.

The Summit was convened by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, and Melville Charitable Trust President Robert Hohler. The Summit was supported by Fannie Mae.

At the November Denver press conference announcing the signing of the Statement, participating Mayors declared their intent to promote America's Road Home with their fellow Mayors and County officials. The Statement has been made available to other Mayors and County officials to sign. Mayors and County officials who are interested in becoming partners to the agreement can download the Principles and guidelines for signing at the Council's web site at www.usich.gov. A current list of the Charter Signatories is also posted.

WASHINGTON, DC. Research findings on duration of homelessness and prevalence of disability are at the heart of the Administration's policy focus on persons experiencing chronic homelessness. More recent emerging research sheds new light on characteristics of families who experience homelessness and will help direct federal policy and investment.

The United States Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development and the United States Interagency Council on Interagency Council on Homelessness last year convened the 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness Research, the first federal research initiative on homelessness in over a decade. The Symposium sponsored the development of twelve research papers in an effort to capture the current state of the research related to homelessness. The Symposium event itself, which was held over two days in March of 2007, brought together over 200 researchers, policy makers, government officials, service providers, and consumers from across the country to discuss the research papers and directions for future research related to homelessness. All Symposium papers have now been posted by HHS.

Research topics for the Symposium included: cost benefit analysis, youth and family homelessness, rural homelessness, consumer participation, housing, employment, reentry, and mainstream systems.

WACO, TEXAS. Waco, Texas extended a community-wide "welcome" to homeless neighbors as the city convened its second annual Project Homeless Connect event recently. More than 95 community volunteers - including city staff members, McLennan Community College Mental Health students, Baylor School of Social Work students, agency staff, and members of local churches - escorted an almost equal number of guests, offered resources, provided screenings, and provided support for the event. Waco's 10-Year Plan, under the leadership of Mayor Virginia DuPuy, is in implementation.

Many resources were available including: 25 boxes of suits and dress shirts from Men's Warehouse for those seeking employment; hamburgers and side items prepared by a local church; health screenings, foot care, and afternoon medical treatments by Family Health Services; dental screenings followed by van transportation for much needed procedures such as dentures, tooth extractions, and periodontal sealants provided during afternoon appointments at a local dental office; and monetary donations for the event by various local agencies and community members.

Innovative resources offered included the donation of wireless service for the day from Grandecom. The wireless network was available throughout the entire First Lutheran Church, the event venue. This allowed the Heart of Texas Workforce to connect people with possible employment immediately. It also allowed for approval for Food Stamps, veteran's benefits, and Social Security sign-up to on the spot.

One addition to this year's event was the help of a podiatrist and two local dentists. The dentists provided a valuable service by screening dozens of individuals for dental needs. Waco-McLennan County Health District completed HIV/AIDS screening tests, and VA nurses performed blood pressure and glucose checks.

LANE COUNTY, OREGON. "Homeless people will get many things they need today, but the most important thing they need is you," Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy told Project Homeless Connect volunteers. "You are hear to listen to them, to hear about what they need and to connect with them as citizens of our community." She added: "Remember that people don't choose to be homeless, it comes upon them for a variety of reasons, but they want to get out of homelessness and into a home. Our community won't accept homelessness as a condition of life. We are working to end homelessness."

Mayor Piercy, Springfield City Councilor Joe Pishioneri, and Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart were among the local leaders and more than 800 volunteers who welcomed almost 1,200 homeless neighbors to the Lane Events Center for Project Homeless Connect. This year's event expanded to Wheeler Pavilion for the " Wags and Wheels" animal care and bike repair resources (pictured here). Lane Community College culinary students prepared meals and local musicians performed. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Regional Coordinator Paul Carlson participated in the Lane County event.

Pictured here are (left to right): Pearl Wolfe, PHC event organizer from Lane County; Council Regional Coordinator Paul Carlson; Springfield City Councilor Joe Pishioneri; Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart; Eugene City Mayor Kitty Piercy; and Richie Weinman, event organizer from the City of Eugene.

WASHINGTON, DC. President Bush last week announced the creation of the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs within the Department of Health and Human Services to help support communities and organizations working to help our Nation's youth. The President signed an Executive Order building on the success of the Helping America's Youth Initiative, a three-year interagency initiative announced by President Bush in his 2005 State of the Union address. The President asked Mrs. Bush to lead this nationwide effort to raise awareness about the challenges facing our youth, particularly at- risk boys, and to motivate caring adults to connect with youth in three key areas: family, school, and community.

The Executive Order President Bush signed will further support communities and youth-serving organizations by extending and expanding the work of the current Interagency Working Group on Helping America's Youth; enhancing collaboration among government organizations at the Federal, State, and local levels and families, schools, and communities, including faith-based and other community organizations; developing a Federal website on youth; and promoting better outcomes for youth. The Executive Order directs the Working Group to encourage rigorous program assessments to determine best practices and promote initiatives that offer cost-effective solutions for achieving better results for at-risk youth, such as mentoring.

Members of the Working Group include: the Attorney General; the Secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Education; the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and the the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The Helping America's Youth Initiative has helped communities connect children and youth with caring adults and community organizations that are helping them avoid risky behavior and achieve success. As the leader of this Initiative, Mrs. Bush has hosted one national conference and five regional conferences, and participated in 125 other Helping America's Youth activities in 24 states, plus Washington D.C., to promote the efforts of youth-serving organizations. In the last three years, hundreds of communities have participated in regional Helping America's Youth conferences, which have helped identify best practices and spotlighted the successful efforts of such youth-serving programs as a leadership camp for fatherless boys, gang-prevention programs, and faith-based after-school programs.

The Community Guide to Helping America's Youth is assisting communities in meeting the needs of their youth. The Community Guide to Helping America's Youth is a website designed to assist communities as they seek to form local partnerships, assess their communities' assets, identify local and Federal resources, and search for evidence-based programs to meet community needs. Over 1,000 members of community partnerships across the country have participated in day-long trainings on how to use this valuable Guide.

WASHINGTON, DC. The Governor's Institute on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, a North Carolina- based non-profit supporting linkages among federal and state agencies, educational programs, professional organizations, tertiary care facilities, clinics and hospitals, treatment facilities, non-profit service agencies, consumer groups and the substance abuse field, has been designated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to assist communities in meeting the needs of veterans through the Homeless Veteran Provider Technical Assistance Center (TAC). The Center will direct its services to non-profit organizations (NPFs) and faith- based agencies to support homeless veterans in their transition to independent living.

Key technical assistance activities are the provision of expert support in grant writing, program development, evaluation planning, and information about federal requirements so that organizations may develop the capacity to prepare their own grants and secure external funding from federal and state agencies and from private foundations. TAC is designed to serve non-profit organizations in their regional areas or VISNs (Veterans Integrated Service Networks) by providing services regionally, by Internet, or by phone.

TAC offers group seminars providing general instructions regarding grant applications including "program development, evaluation planning, and budgeting, including information on OMB circulars; individualized instruction for applying for a specific grant; and consultation to increase grantees' capacity to develop a responsive evaluation plan, including project outcome documentation. A complete calendar of 2008 technical assistance events, on-line registration information, and indicators of remaining training slots for scheduled events are available on-line.

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