BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA. North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, recognized at the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Third Annual National Summit for Jurisdictional Leaders in Washington just two weeks ago, was officially presented with his "Home for Every American" Award by Council Executive Director Philip Mangano in a ceremony this week in Bismarck. Director Mangano joined the Governor to convene a joint statewide roundtable with the North Dakota Interagency Council on Homelessness. North Dakota Housing Finance Agency Director Mike Anderson chairs the Council. Pictured here is Governor Hoeven (left) and Director Mangano.

JOINT FEDERAL-STATE INTERAGENCY COUNCIL MEETING CONVENED. "A Partnership to House Every North Dakotan" was the theme of the joint Council roundtable, which included participation by the cities of Bismarck, Mandan, Fargo, Jamestown, and Minot, each of which has completed a 10-Year Plan. Also represented was the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa which has now become the first Native American tribal authority to create a 10-Year Plan. Dickinson and Williston have also completed 10-Year Plans, and the Three Affiliated Tribes are in plan development.

"It seems every innovation that we suggest is one your Governor moves forward on, whether it's a State Interagency Council, whether it's encouraging 10-Year Plans, whether it's looking at this issue from a business perspective," stated Director Mangano as he presented the Governor's award. "Your Governor stood up on this issue, and we consider him to be one of the champions among Governors in our country."

Director Mangano noted that, from the starting point of Fargo completing its Plan and becoming the first North Dakota city to do so, to the now ten Plans completed or in development, including the nation's first Plan from a Native American tribal authority, North Dakota has attained a position of having more plans per capita than any state in the country.

Also represented at the roundtable were local coalitions from the Northwestern, North Central, Southeastern, South Central, and Southwestern areas of North Dakota. Key to the organizing of the North Dakota visit were Tami Wahl of the Governor's office and Brandi Pelham, Senior Policy Advisor. Council National Team Leader Michael German and Department of Housing and Urban Development Fargo Field Office Faith-based Liaison Oswald Scantlebury took part.

BISMARCK-MANDAN 10-YEAR PLAN UNVEILED. The joint Council meeting also included the presentation of the completed Bismarck/Mandan 10-Year Plan to Director Mangano and Governor Hoeven by Bismarck Mayor John Warford and Mandan Mayor Ken LaMont, shown here.

"The plan we've developed offers a 'no nonsense' solution," states the new document. "It is based on a philosophy of Housing First, whereby the focus is on providing permanent, supportive housing for the long- term homeless in the Bismarck- Mandan area. The plan calls for a redirection of our resources, our attitudes and our strengths. The completion of the plan is merely the beginning of our work. Now we need to implement the strategies, goals, and action steps." The new housing-focused plan was developed under the guidance of a Steering Committee of Nancy Kleingartner, University of Mary; Brenda Kriedeman, Salvation Army; Gary Heaton, Aid, Inc.; Mark Heinert, Youthworks; Sue Redman, City of Bismarck; Mike Zainhofsky, Burleigh County Housing Authority; Susan Martin, Ruth Meier's Hospitality House; Sheri Baker, United Tribes Technical College; and Tom Regan, Missouri Slope United Way.

Director Mangano noted his two prior visits with Mayor Warford, who committed to a Plan and followed through with what Director Mangano noted was "an orientation to action, not talk, that is emblematic of the region." Mayor LaMont joined the Plan commitment, and the resulting document was commended by Director Mangano for its pragmatic, no-nonsense style and realistic benchmarks to remedy what the baseline reveals." Stated Director Mangano: "Here we have two cities, two Mayors working together on the same plan, something so uncommon that, when it happens we say it's an unnatural act between consenting public officials. But what we've seen is that collaboration works."

Housing goals will increase the number of short-term units while developing at least a dozen new permanent supported housing placements annually and create a Safe Haven. The cities will identify success by three measurements: the number of long- term homeless individuals and families living in the Bismarck and Mandan area will decline and essentially become zero; unscheduled demand for crisis and institution-based services by individuals who could be classified as long-term homeless will decline by eighty (80) percent; and the community will analyze data collected in the State's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to measure client-level outcomes.

SIX NORTH DAKOTA JURISDICTIONS SIGN AMERICA'S ROAD HOME STATEMENT. At the joint Council meeting, the cities of Bismarck, Jamestown, Mandan, Fargo, and Minot, as well as the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, added their names to the signatories of America's Road Home Statement of Principles and Actions, bringing the national number of signatories to over 255. The signers are pictured here (seated): Bismarck Mayor John Warford, Mandan Mayor Ken LaMont, Jamestown Mayor Clarice Leichty, Turtle Mountain Band Chairman David "Doc" Brien, Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker's representative, Dan Mahli, and Minot Mayor Curt Zimbelman's representative, Police Chief Jeff Balentine.

Mayor Dennis Walaker's representative, Dan Mahli, noted the changes that he has seen since the 10- Year Plan initiatives have taken root, seeing both his professional lens and his personal frame expanded through his involvement in the Plan and its implementation. Fargo is creating 42 units targeted to chronically homeless people.

UNIVERSITY OF MARY CONVOCATION STRESSES LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP. Council Director Mangano also addressed a University of Mary Convocation in Bismarck, hosted by University President and Benedictine Order Sister Thomas Welder. Speaking at Arno Gustin Hall, Director Mangano urged the audience of students, faculty, and community leaders to look to the precepts of the University's focus on servant-leadership to welcome their homeless neighbors into the life of the community. The University, which focuses on preparing students for leadership, recognizes "servant-leadership" as "a pattern of living marked by competence in one's chosen profession, courage in making ethical decisions based on Benedictine values, and compassion in serving the needs of others." The University was founded in 1955 by The Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery as Mary College.

HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROLINA. "Partnering to End Chronic Homelessness in Guilford County" is the expansive group of community stakeholders now implementing the High Point, Greensboro, and Guilford County 10-Year Plan to end chronic homelessness. The partnership's new leadership council is composed of leaders from the cities of High Point and Greensboro, Guilford County, the Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County and both the Greensboro and High Point chapters of the United Way.

Gathered last week in High Point, civic and business leaders demonstrated their partnership and investment in the Plan, welcoming United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano to the launch of implementation steps. High Point Mayor Becky Smothers, Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson, and Guilford County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Kay Cashion joined with United Way of Greater Greensboro President Neil Belenky, United Way of Greater High Point President Bobby Smith, and new Implementation Chair David Miller for the press event. Jehan Benton, MSW, of United Way of Greater Greensboro will be the plan's point person. Pictured below are David Miller (left) and Neil Belenky with Director Mangano.

Noted Director Mangano: "These elected officials who have partnered together are following the trajectory to success that we have seen across the country as newly elected officials deepen and sustain the commitment of political will to the 10-Year Plan. And the leadership and staff of these two United Way chapters that are partnered in this effort are to be congratulated for their steady commitment to the goal of ending homelessness." In a follow-up meeting to the press event with elected officials, the implementation leadership council, and the leadership of hospital systems, police departments, and foundations, Director Mangano emphasized the importance of results: "It's better for the community, it's better for the homeless person who wants to be self-sufficient, and it's better for the taxpayer. How often do you get a trifecta like that?"

The United Way of Greater Greensboro and the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation committed a two-year grant worth $270,000 to implementation, and Guilford County also has received a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and a 26-month grant for $644,000 from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services for a pilot project to create Housing Support Teams. That program, a partnership between Family Services of the Piedmont, Open Door Ministries and the Greensboro Housing Coalition, already has housed 40 chronically homeless people. A new cost benefit analysis for Guilford County is being prepared by the Jordan Institute of Chapel Hill to track the costs of program participants in the two years before and after their enrollment.

WASHINGTON, DC. President Bush last week nominated Steve Preston, currently Administrator of the Small Business Administration, as the 14th Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. In announcing the nomination, the President stated: "He will play a central role in helping address our nation's housing challenges. He'll work with members of Congress to advance responsible legislation that will help millions of American homeowners. He will be entrusted with one of the most rewarding jobs in the federal government: helping our fellow Americans have a place to call a home." Administrator Preston is pictured here.

Administrator Preston at the press announcement noted about his current and proposed roles, "I'm especially proud of the work we are doing in inner-city communities to help small business owners bring lasting change to places in our country that need it the most - by bringing jobs, by bringing economic opportunity, and by bringing investment. So I certainly hope to bring that spirit to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to help restore stability and confidence in the housing market, and to promote sustainable job ownership, free from discrimination in our country. " Administrator Preston was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and became head of the SBA in July 2006.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who met with Administrator Preston prior to the President's announcement, noted: "Given his background and solid record of accomplishment in both business and government, Administrator Preston brings the expertise needed to ameliorate the housing difficulties in our country. In our recent meeting with the Secretary- designate, two issues surfaced: the foreclosure crisis and homelessness, and the relationship between the two along with the possibility of working on prevention."

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. An entire day of public and private sector events in Tennessee's state capital last week were designed to move forward with Nashville's 10-Year Plan implementation under Mayor Karl Dean and Clifton E. Harris, Nashville's Homelessness Services Coordinator for the Metropolitan Nashville Homelessness Commission. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano and Council National Team Leader Michael German brought the Council's National Partnership to bear on Nashville's vision for its plan, "The Strategic Framework for Ending Chronic Homelessness in Nashville."

Nashville's consolidated city-county structure is governed by Mayor Karl Dean and a 40-member Metropolitan Council legislative body. The Homeless Services Commission, chaired by the Vice-Mayor, includes representation from the community at large, consumers, service providers, and the Metro Council, Metropolitan Action Commission, Metropolitan Police Department, Metro Career Advancement Center, Metro Public Health Department, Metropolitan Social Services, and Metropolitan Housing Development Agency (MDHA). Hershell Warren represents the Mayor's office on the Commission and was instrumental in the Interagency Council's visit. Commission members were especially interested in public/private partnerships, public sector resources, Project Homeless Connect, and Housing First.

Private sector partnership was the focus of a special meeting convened with the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Partnership, and downtown neighborhood residents at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Former Vice Mayor Howard Gentry, who chaired the Homelessness Commission, is now at the Chamber. Pictured here are business and political leaders at the session which Director Mangano addressed, which also focused on the role of Community Champions for 10-Year Plans and best practices in cities that Nashville might replicate. Also discussed were the results of innovative initiatives that are ending homelessness and their effectiveness compared to punitive measures.

Meeting later at the Nashville Rescue Mission with local providers, Director Mangano conversed with partners about the importance of data to their efforts, Project Homeless Connect, and best practices in other cities. Director Mangano also met with former Mayor Bill Purcell, Dean of the College of Public Service and Urban Affairs at Tennessee State University.

WASHINGTON, DC. The Washington National Cathedral was the setting, and the abolition of homelessness was the topic this week as DC's Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place, Friendship Place Partners, and the Cathedral hosted United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. Reverend Canon William H. Barnwell (pictured below on stage with Director Mangano) introduced Director Mangano, noting that they had been colleagues in Boston before each came to Washington. Jean- Michael Giruad of the Community Council welcomed community partners, and National Alliance to End Homelessness President Nan Roman provided closing comments.

"Through your efforts and the Ten Year Plan, you've put a light in the community window here in the Nation's Capital," Director Mangano told those present, including CCHFP Board member June Kress, who was instrumental in organizing the event. "A light that offers hope and security for the most disabled and vulnerable, those who are exiled to the periphery of your community, living on your streets, languishing in your shelters - they are seeing that light and coming in to a place to live."

The Community Council, providing outreach, transitional and permanent housing, and social services since 1991, takes as its mission supporting people in the upper Northwest area of the District of Columbia who are, or have been, at risk of homelessness to rebuild their lives with the involvement of the community. Resources include a daytime resource center providing health and social services and referrals; a congregation-based small shelter program; and permanent housing with supportive services. The Council's housing agency, Community Housing Trust (CHT) develops and manages group homes and independent-living options and provides the supportive services to ensure successful housing. Veronica House, a six-bedroom home, is home to five formerly homeless women with serious mental illnesses and a resident manager. Zeke's House is home to five formerly homeless men with mental illness and a resident manager. CHT also leases several apartments for consumers and CCHFP provides case management for consumers in apartments leased by several area congregations.

Unity Health Care operates a clinic with a doctor and nurse twice a week at CCHFP. consumers who need specialized care can be referred. Consumers have access to mental health counseling and psychiatric evaluations twice a week at CCHFP. The psychiatrist, who has many years of experience helping homeless people with mental illness in D.C., also advises the staff. He sometimes goes with the CCHFP outreach van to initiate a relationship. Staff provides supportive counseling and referrals to long-term residential and short-term treatment programs. CCHFP assists with resumes, job referrals and follow-up to ensure successful outcomes.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. As the annual Horizons for Homeless Children Conference convened last week in Boston, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, who served on the Honorary Committee for the event which he has addressed twice before, met with partners from the event to hear their insights into "what's working" to end family homelessness around the nation.

Participants in the dialogue brought together by Horizons for Homeless Children Executive Director Sue Heilman included Dr. Roseanna Means, President and Medical Director, Women of Means, Waltham, MA; Phyllis Agnes, Indiana University- Purdue University Fort Wayne, School of Education; Aurora Zepeda, Executive Vice President, Homes for the Homeless/Institute on Children and Poverty, New York City; Shirley Fan-Chan, Director of External Programs, Horizons for Homeless Children; Dawn Jahn Moses, National Center on Family Homelessness; Melissa Downs, MA Dept of Public Health; Acting Associate Commissioner Janet McKeon, MA Department of Early Education and Care; Karin Weaver, National Director, Bright Horizons Foundation for Children Nashville, TN; and Nancy E. Newman, Director, The Ark Pre-School Learning Center, Episcopal Community Services, Baltimore. Council Regional Coordinator John O'Brien also took part.

Among the topics discussed were micro- enterprise initiatives for families developed by Working Capital in Vermont and New Hampshire, and New York's Homes for the Homeless initiatives on employment and income for homeless families, including financial and health literacy. An initiative of the MA Department of Early Education (EEC) and Care and the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) ensures homeless families who are living in shelters have immediate access to child care. As soon as homeless families enter an emergency they are eligible for child care. Project RISE II (Recovery through Information, Support and Engagement), a collaboration of the Massachusetts Departments of Public Health and Transitional Assistance and the Institute of Health and Recovery (IHR), strengthens and expands access to treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for homeless families in DTA shelters. RISE offers flexible resources and service intensity through case managers who have significant direct involvement in families.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA. More than 1,200 government, business, political, political, labor, education, religious, and civic leaders assembled last week for the British Columbia Leadership Prayer Breakfast in Vancouver. Tom Cooper, President of City in Focus hosted the event. United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to keynote the annual event, joined Honorable Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia; Honorable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety and Member of Parliament for Okanagan; Ms. Carole James, MLA, Victoria - Beacon Hill, Leader of BC's Official Opposition in the BC Legislature; His Worship Sam Sullivan, Mayor of the City of Vancouver; Her Worship Dianne Watts, Mayor of the City of Surrey; Mr. Fernando Jacques Pimenta, Consul General of Brazil; Chief Constable Jim Chu, Vancouver Police Department; Mr. John MsKay of the Strand Corporation; Mr. Mike Neil, President, RoofRoc Canada Limited; Mr. Jake Kerr, Chairman of Lignum Investments Ltd.; Mr. Glen Wong, Director of Ceremonies; and Mr. Lorne Epp, Executive Director of More Than A Roof Mennonite Housing Society.

"The heroic is important in our abolitionist goal to end homelessness, inspired by other lives of courage, lives that dare to disturb the status quo, that interrupt the dreadful inertia that accommodates wrong, rather than ending it," indicated Director Mangano. "I am confident, as I see the leadership of Premier Campbell and Mayor Sullivan on this difficult, but finite, wrong of homelessness, that your heart will be open to remedy the long misery of your neighbors."

Following the event, Director Mangano met with Premier Campbell and discussed the role of innovations in ending homelessness in the United States, continuing the dialogue begun by the Council among international partners. The officials also conversed about housing initiatives that are producing results, including Housing First and permanent supported housing, and the 2007 purchase of 10 local SROs by the British Columbia government as a preservation initiative.

While in Vancouver, Director Mangano met with the Business Council of British Columbia to discuss the role of community champions and private sector leadership and with key advocates on homelessness issues in the region, including representatives of City in Focus, Grandview Calvary Baptist Church, Streams of Justice, More Than a Roof Foundation, Citywide Housing Coalition, Vancouver City Hall, Vancouver Foundation, Harcourt Enterprise Inc, and Vancouver Food Bank. In addition, Director Mangano met with faith-based philanthropists from the community who are interested in driving the issue of affordable housing and addressing homelessness in their respective areas of influence. Council National Team Leader Michael German also took part.

Pictured here are Honorable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety and Member of Parliament for Okanagan; Director Mangano; His Worship Sam Sullivan, Mayor of the City of Vancouver; Her Worship Dianne Watts, Mayor of the City of Surrey; and Honorable Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia.

WITH THIS ISSUE, the e-news continues its coverage of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Third Annual National Summit for Jurisdictional Leaders convened in Washington earlier this month. With this issue, we focus on "Home for Every American" Innovation of Special Merit in Housing Award winner Dr. Priscilla Ridgway. Upcoming e-news issues will continue to feature details on awardees.

Dr. Priscilla Ridgway is the pioneer and innovator credited with the concept of permanent supported housing. As she describes: "My work has always concerned human rights, recovery, services that support recovery, and amplifying the voice of mental health consumers." To that end, she early on understood the important role of housing in meeting the aspirations of those in recovery from mental illness, and the critical role of services that support both recovery and housing stability.

Dr. Ridgway has done innovative work on consumer preference needs assessment methods; created supported housing models and conducted housing research; synthesized information on a variety of evidence-based practices; prepared and delivered recovery education for staff and people in recovery; assessed recovery-enhancing practice; and undertaken efforts that support the transformation of mental health programs and systems.

Dr. Ridgway is currently Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry Program for Recovery & Community Health at Yale University School of Medicine, where her work involves developing and evaluating consumer recovery education programming and expansion of peer support initiatives in Connecticut. Her work in the field of mental health spans more than 30 years, from being a psychiatric aide, case manager, and advocate for psychiatric inpatients, to program director in an innovative psychosocial rehabilitation agency, and coordinator of research and planning for a state mental health department. For the last 20 years she has worked within organizations committed to innovation and building recovery paradigm knowledge, including the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, the University of Kansas Office of Mental Health Research and Training, and Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.

Her education includes a BA, MSW, and PhD in Social Work, and she has had the personal experience of recovery from brain trauma and post traumatic stress disorder. Her recent work includes co-authoring Pathways to Recovery: A Strengths Self Help Workbook for personal recovery; national research on a team primarily of consumer researchers in the What Helps and What Hinders Recovery? Project; work on recovery and resilience, hope, and spirituality; and defining elements of a recovery and recovery facilitating system and the development of recovery performance indicators.

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