JUNEAU, ALASKA. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has signed a new Administrative Order adding additional members and new duties to the State's Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Alaska Council on the Homeless within the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). AHFC is under the leadership of CEO Dan Fauske.

The Alaska Council on the Homeless had been initially established by Administrative Order in April 2004 to develop a statewide action plan addressing homelessness in Alaska. That plan, Keeping Alaskans Out of the Cold, was completed and submitted in October 2005.

Included in its recommendations was the appointment of a steering committee to assist the Governor and the legislature to develop an affordable housing trust. The steering committee completed its work in 2006. The current Council has recommended that the Alaska Housing Trust Fund (fund) be created within the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC).

Calling homelessness "one of the most challenging domestic issues facing the United States," the Governor's Order noted that Alaska's Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Task Force had found housing to be the most commonly identified challenge facing those in need.

New members of the Council are representatives of regional Native housing authorities, municipal government, and persons with experience and expertise in housing development or as consumers of affordable housing. Continuing members of the original council include one representative each from the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Education and Early Development, Department of Public Safety, and Department of Corrections.

Governor Palin, who took office in December 2006, is the youngest governor in Alaskan history, as well as the first woman to hold the office. She is a also former Mayor and served as President of the Alaska Conference of Mayors.

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. Jurisdictional and business leadership to end homelessness were in evidence last week, as San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger and NuStar Energy President Bill Greehey, who is serving as Chair of the Board of the city's Haven for Hope campus, welcomed United States Interagency Council Executive Director Philip Mangano to the city. Director Mangano's visit came just days prior to the groundbreaking event for the new initiative. San Antonio Department of Community Initiatives Director Dennis Campa, and Haven for Hope President and former City Council member Robert Marbut, also participated.

Meeting with Mayor Hardberger and Haven for Hope leaders, Director Mangano was also joined by Councilwoman Pattie Radle and City Manager Sheryl Scully, who have been key to the project's success. San Antonio has been advancing the goals of its 10- Year Plan, which focuses on both homelessness and hunger in the city.

Community Court Judge Kimberly Kreider, a Haven for Hope Board Member, joined the visitors for a discussion of 10-Year Plans and Housing First models following a tour of the American GI Forum Veterans Shelter. San Antonio Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH) representatives and key providers also participated. Pictured here are (left to right): Councilmember and Haven for Hope Board Member Patti Radle, Mayor Phil Hardberger, Director Mangano, and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett welcomed Council Director Mangano for a meeting of the City's Task Force held at the Public Library. The Task Force, co-chaired by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Brett Hamm, Downtown OKC, Inc. President, also includes Council members, business leaders, the local police department, United Way, local service providers, and the transit agency. Council Coordinator Michael German also participated.

The City is currently deliberating increases to spending to address homelessness, and discussions were marked by a sense that the entire city must address the issue, that homelessness is not of interest only to the shelters and nearby businesses. Councilman Patrick Ryan, a member of the Mayor's Task Force, noted that City Council members can't afford to be concerned only about their own wards when a larger issue is involved. "In the past, so much of our efforts have focused on short-term service issues - making them warm and comfortable for the night, for example - when we're not really addressing the root cause of the problem," he said.

Council Member Ann Simank noted, "We need the business community involved, we need the faith community involved, and we need city government involved," adding, "We need partnerships beyond the shelters. This is affecting cities across America. It's time we all do what we need to do to take care of this problem. We're at the cusp of changing how we think."

TULSA, OK. Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor, who developed a 10-Year Plan in her city, also welcomed the Council last week, convening a meeting of key community leaders to discuss lessons from other cities facing a loss of housing units. Judy Kishner and Gail Richards from the Zarrow Families Foundation, which has convened a leadership group, Mike Brose of the Mental Health Association, and Bill Packard of Packard and Associates welcomed Director Mangano to discuss the upcoming closing of the local YMCA residence, which houses 300 people.

Pictured here are (left to right): Judy Kishner, Zarrow Foundation, Council Coordinator Michael German, Mental Health Association Executive Director Michael Brose, Mayor Taylor, Consultant Bill Packard, Packard & Associates, Director Mangano, Mental Health Association Tulsa Housing Authority Chairperson Ruth Kaiser Nelson, Tulsa Division of Community Development & Education Initiatives Director Susan Neal, and Assistant to Mayor Taylor Dwain E. Midget.

WASHINGTON, DC. United Way of America CEO Brian Gallagher and Board Chair Rodney Slater this week brought together a cross-section of the nation's most powerful and effective Fortune 500 businesses, non- profit organizations, federal agencies and local United Ways under the leadership of to launch the United Way Financial Stability Partnership, a new national initiative created to empower low- to moderate-income people to achieve long-term financial stability that leads to independence. Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service Kevin Brown also addressed the partners.

At the National Press Club event, United Way committed to a 5-year plan to remove barriers to financial success and to increase access to key resources that will put financial stability and self- sufficiency ahead of programmatic responses and continued dependence. United Way has committed to increase its investment in this new initiative by 50% over five years, to $1.5 billion, and has set ambitious benchmarks to increase EITC enrollment, create new bank accounts, and enroll eligible individuals and families in benefits programs.

"These measures are of special interest to all of us working to end homelessness for individuals and families by increasing access to consumer-centric mainstream resources for which people are eligible and for which they frequently do not now receive support in securing resources that can put them on a trajectory to self-sufficiency and increase their income," noted United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano after the event. Last year, the Council was pleased to partner with the United Way in exploring how United Way - which itself has been a leadership partner in over two dozen 10-Year Plans across the country - could make a difference in the financial well-being of low-income families and individuals.

United Way has partnered with Nets to Ladders' (N2L) Benefit Enrollment Network (BEN) to ensure widespread accelerated and improved enrollment for applicants for benefits and first-time bank accounts. N2L was attracted by the ideas-to-action results it already had experienced in pilots involving Food Stamps, Medicaid, and tax assistance. BEN can use off-site and consumer-friendly settings to execute outreach, qualification screening, application processing, and asset building, such as opening bank accounts.

Pictured here are event speakers (left to right): Ralph Smith, Senior Vice President, Annie E. Casey Foundation; Stan Litow, President, IBM International Foundation; William Couper, President, Mid-Atlantic Region, Bank of America; Marc Ferguson, Founder and President, Nets to Ladders; Brian Gallagher, President and CEO, United Way of America; Rodney Slater, Chair, United Way Board of Trustees; Anne Wilson, CEO, United Way of the Bay Area; Mike Durkin, President, Mile High United Way; and Kevin Brown, IRS Acting Commissioner.

The National League of Cities, with whom the Council partnered last year for a National Project Homeless Connect Webinar technical assistance event for cities, is joining with the United Way of America to host the "EITC and Beyond Summit" from July 11-13 in San Francisco for municipal and United Way leaders working together to promote residents' financial stability.

The Summit will serve as one of the major platforms in the launch of the Financial Stability Partnership. For NLC, the Summit represents the continuation of its work related to family economic success, one of the five core program areas of its Institute for Youth, Education, and Families and an expansion of the organization's asset-building initiative.

WASHINGTON, DC. "A life in the community for everyone." Quoting the mission statement of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (SAMHSA), SAMHSA Administrator Dr. Terry Cline testified this week before the a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, entitled Transforming Mental Health and Substance Abuse Systems of Care: Community Integration and Recovery. Dr. Cline emphasized that his agency views recovery as no longer the exception but the expectation for individuals. Dr. Cline noted, "There are economic costs of undiagnosed and untreated mental and substance use disorders. There are also human costs- measured in lost jobs, lost families and lost lives-that are incalculable and affect the well-being of millions of Americans."

Pointing to a new first-ever documentation of the full impact of mental and substance use disorders on U.S. community Hospitals, Dr. Cline noted that the report by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that almost one-fourth of all stays in U.S. community hospitals for patients age 18 and older in 2004-7.6 million of nearly 32 million stays-involved depressive, bipolar, schizophrenia and other mental health disorders or substance use related disorders.

According to Dr. Cline, the significant number of hospital stays related to mental and substance use disorders signals the need to identify and intervene early before the conditions require a hospital stay. One example he described - the Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral and Treatment (SBIRT) program funded by SAMHSA - addresses the need to identify through screening those substance use disorders which can result in an intervention. This program uses cooperative agreements to expand and enhance a state or tribal organization's continuum of prevention, intervention, and treatment by adding screening, brief intervention, referral, and treatment services within general medical settings.

SBIRT has been deployed to hospitals, health clinics, college campuses and school-based clinics across the country, with medical professionals conducting brief screening in a general health care setting such as a hospital or a health clinic. Once a problem is detected, a medical professional immediately performs a brief intervention, lasting less than 30 minutes. Brief interventions assist patients in recognizing the impact of unhealthy drinking or drug use and commit them to a plan of action to cease use. Studies show that this brief intervention can reduce substance abuse significantly, thus improving overall health. These interventions are very cost-effective as they reduce readmission into emergency departments and re- hospitalizations. In many cases, the brief intervention is sufficient for the non-addicted user.

To date the Federal SBIRT program has screened 504,334 people in healthcare settings in 10 states in the nation. A positive screen was obtained in 21.2 percent of people screened, and these were subsequently provided with brief intervention (15.1 percent), brief treatment (2.7 percent), or were referred to treatment (3.3 percent). Six-month follow ups on a sampling of those receiving an intervention show promising reductions in substance use, depression and improvements in other parameters.

Dr. Cline also updated Senators on the Administration's Access to Recovery Program (ATR) program, a Presidential initiative, which is a key source of innovation in the field of addiction recovery. Through the use of vouchers, ATR provides clients with the opportunity to choose among a broad array of substance abuse clinical treatment and recovery support service providers. ATR is designed to: (1) allow recovery to be pursued through personal choice and many pathways; (2) require grantees to manage performance based outcomes that demonstrate client successes, (3) expand capacity by increasing the number the number and types of providers who deliver clinical treatment and/or recovery support services.

According to Dr. Cline, the outcomes for clients served through the ATR program are very encouraging. As of December 31, 2006, the ATR program had served 137,579 clients, exceeding the initial target by 10 percent. After receiving services through ATR, 81 percent of clients are abstinent from substances and 51 percent are in stable housing. Expanding substance abuse treatment capacity also has a direct link to shrinking rates of criminal recidivism. Upon discharge from the ATR program, 97 percent of clients have no involvement with the criminal justice system. This rate reflects an 81 percent reduction among those who were involved with the criminal justice system at intake.

Also testifying at the hearing was Terry Lee Allebaugh, Executive Director of Housing for New Hope in Durham, North Carolina. In his testimony, Mr. Allebaugh described the story of two men living on the street and with mental illness and with whom his agency was working: "For over a year we visited and talked with them at their tent or on 9th Street. They always thanked us for visiting and graciously received our periodic gifts of sleeping bags, blankets, toiletries, and food. They also repeatedly declined our offers to connect them to services, housing, and hope for tomorrow. The business owners and their patrons begrudgingly accepted them, with a few exceptions, and most everybody seemed resigned to the fact that well, 'some folks just choose to be homeless.' "

Noting that these two men and others "need real change, not spare change," Mr. Allebaugh told the Committee: "The longer they remain homeless, the more chronic and debilitating their health conditions become and the more expensive our piecemeal, temporary, and spare change services cost us. Many of the chronically homeless receive their primary health care in the emergency rooms and are transported there by a rescue squad. They are housed periodically in jails and prisons, transported by law enforcement officers, and adjudicated by the courts and court-appointed attorneys. They are frequent, short-term visitors to primary and mental health hospitals with high per diem rates for the doctors, nurses, and tests. We can no longer fool ourselves that we are being frugal and prudent with our tax dollars by only giving minimal attention to the chronically homeless population."

The Committee chair is Senator Edward Kennedy (MA); the Ranking Member is Senator Michael Enzi (WY). Other witnesses appearing before the Senators included Representative Patrick J. Kennedy, (RI), Lisa Halpern, Consumer and Member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Rodger McDaniel, Deputy Director, Wyoming Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Division, Cheyenne, WY.

WASHINGTON, DC. The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has announced the availability of a Service Delivery Demonstration Project Cooperative Agreement to ensure the national distribution of mentoring service vouchers to families and caregivers of children whose parent(s) are incarcerated. Closing date for applications is June 26, 2007. Potential applicants should read the full announcement for complete details.

Eligible applicants for the funding include City, County, and State governments, non-profits, for-profits, Public and Indian housing authorities, Independent school districts, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), private institutions of higher education, and small businesses.

The United States Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has announced the availability of $20 million for an estimated 15 awards for Youthful Offender Grants. Applications are due May 31, 2007. Potential applicants should read the full announcement for complete details.

DOL will award these grants through a competitive process for three categories of projects: 1) Registered Apprenticeship (to increase the placement of young adults being released from the criminal justice system in registered apprenticeship); 2) Alternative Educational Pathways (to increase the educational achievement and attainment of youth in the juvenile justice system); and 3) Project Expansion (to replicate effective programs for serving juvenile offenders). Applicants can apply for grants in more than one of these categories, but separate applications must be submitted for each category. According to DOL, over the next decade, the percentage of workers between the ages of 16 and 24 is expected to grow more rapidly than the overall workforce. The 21st century economic landscape is rapidly changing with technology and globalization altering the nature of work and the skills and training needed by workers to compete in this new reality. Ninety percent of the fastest growing jobs in the United States today require post-secondary education. Therefore, the rapidly growing youth labor force is emerging at a time where advanced education, skills, and abilities have a heightened importance in preparing the talent employers will need to populate their workforce.

Applicants may be faith-based and community organizations, national community-based organizations, State Apprenticeship Agencies, state workforce agencies, local workforce investment boards, state correctional agencies, Indian/Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaskan Native and Pacific Islander Tribal Governments or organizations that are Federally recognized. For Alternative Educational Pathways: Applicants may be public school districts, faith-based and community organizations currently operating or wishing to operate charter schools, state or local juvenile justice agencies, local workforce investment boards, Indian/Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaskan Native and Pacific Islander, Tribal Governments or organizations that are Federally recognized. For Project Expansion: Applicants may be national or local community and faith-based organizations, local workforce investment boards, Indian/Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaskan Native and Pacific Islander Tribal Governments or organizations that are federally recognized.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services' (OCS) announces the availability of $4.8 million for an estimated 12 awards in the Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals (JOLI) program, which helps low-income individuals achieve economic self-sufficiency. Applications are due June 20, 2007. Potential applicants should read the entire announcement for complete details. Eligible applicants include faith- based and community organizations and non-profits having 501(c)(4) status with the IRS.

Grantees are expected to integrate their projects with the larger economic development strategy within the target communities. Grantees may focus their projects on strategy areas that include new business ventures, business expansion and self-employment/micro- enterprise.

JOLI grantees assist participants in overcoming identified personal and systemic barriers to employment, job retention and self-sufficiency. Grantees may use their JOLI program funding to provide technical and financial assistance to private employers in the community to assist them in creating employment and business opportunities for low- income individuals. Grantees also create a revolving loan fund and make at or below market rate loans to eligible beneficiaries for business development activities.

Grantees must allot a minimum of twenty percent of the JOLI funds received for the provision of financial assistance to program participants. Interest accrued on revolving loan funds must be used to continue or expand the activities of the approved project. Grantees establish and maintain a formal, cooperative relationship with the designated local agency responsible for administering the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in the area served by the project.

WASHINGTON, DC. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the availability of $14 million in funds for applications for assistance under the Capital Grant component of VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. Applications are due June 28, 2007. Potential applicants should read the full announcement for complete details.

Funds may be used by eligible entities to: 1) Expand existing transitional housing projects; or 2) develop new transitional housing programs. Funding applied for under the capital grant component may be used for: 1) Remodeling or alteration of existing buildings; 2) acquisition of buildings; 3) acquisition and rehabilitation of buildings; 4) new construction; and 5) acquisition of vans (in connection with a new or existing Grant and Per Diem Grant project) for outreach and transportation for homeless veterans.

Funding available under this NOFA is being offered to help offset the capital expenses of existing state and local governments, Indian Tribal governments, faith- based, and community-based organizations that are capable of creating and providing supported transitional housing for homeless veterans. Capital grant applicants may not receive assistance to replace funds provided by any State or local government to assist homeless persons. A proposal for an existing project that seeks to shift its focus by changing the population being served or the precise mix of services being offered is not eligible for consideration. No more than 25 percent of housing and services available in projects funded through this grant program may be provided to clients who are not receiving those services as veterans.

Per diem for these programs is requested in the grant application and may be paid at the time of grant project completion. It should be noted that VA per diem payment is limited to the applicant's cost of care per eligible veteran minus other sources of payments to the applicant for furnishing services to homeless veterans up to the per day rate VA pays for State Home Domiciliary care. Awardees will be required to support their request for per diem payment with adequate fiscal documentation as to program income and expenses.

Interested organizations should know that the vast majority of homeless veterans in this country suffer from mental illness or substance abuse disorders or are dually diagnosed with both mental illness and substance abuse disorders. In addition, many homeless veterans have serious medical problems. Collaboration with VA medical centers, VA community- based outpatient clinics or other health care providers as well as with VA and other benefit providers is an important aspect of assuring that homeless veterans have access to appropriate health care services. VA considers this program an important part of our effort to end chronic homelessness among veterans.

It is important to be aware that VA places great emphasis on responsibility and accountability. VA has procedures in place to verify the completion of the capital grant as well as monitor services provided to homeless veterans and outcomes associated with the services provided in grant and per diem-funded programs.

NEW VA ADVISORY PANEL TO IMPROVE SERVICES FOR RETURNING COMBAT VETERANS. United States Department of Secretary of Veterans Affairs Secretary and former Council Chair Jim Nicholson has announced the formation of a formal, 17-person committee that will advise him on ways to improve VA programs serving veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and their families.

"This panel will report directly to me," Secretary Nicholson said. "I am asking for their ideas and input on how VA can consistently ensure world-class service to America's newest generation of heroes, particularly severely disabled veterans and their families." The Secretary's announcement about the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) panel, called the Advisory Committee on OIF/OEF Veterans and Families, comes on the heels of his presentation April 24 of recommendations from a Presidential Task Force to improve services to the nation's newest generation of combat veterans.

"A number of panels already have been asking tough questions about our programs for veterans transitioning to civilian life," the Secretary said. "This committee, to be chaired by retired Lt. Gen. David Barno, consists of OIF and OEF wounded veterans, family members, survivors, leaders of the major veterans organizations and long-time veterans advocates."

"This group of people have experienced war and our system of care and can advise me from first-hand experience on how we are doing and what we need to do better," he added. The new OIF/OEF advisory committee will hold a three- day inaugural meeting, beginning May 14 in Alexandria, Va. The committee is scheduled to discuss its general work program, future meeting dates, and plans for site visits to VA facilities around the country. The schedule includes briefings by senior officials of VA's key programs, comments by members of the public who register in advance with the committee, discussions about "seamless transition" goals and procedures affecting combat veterans moving from the military to civilian life.

WASHINGTON, DC. Unprecedented intergovernmental partnerships which begin at the Federal level are achieving expanded and expedited access to Social Security benefits for the most vulnerable and disabled persons. Often these are citizens who are at risk of homelessness or who are already living on our streets or in shelters. These efforts and resources back this Administration's commitment to end chronic homelessness in this country.

Twin multi-year initiatives, the Social Security Administration's Homeless Outreach Projects and Evaluation (HOPE), and a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing and Urban Development, along with SSA, SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery), are providing coordination, expertise, and outcomes that benefit everyone in the community - housed and homeless alike.

"HOPE and SOAR are offering common sense and dollars and sense solutions for our most disabled citizens through an efficient and expedited enrollment initiative," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. "These new partnerships are creating a trajectory to income, health care, and re-housing for our most vulnerable citizens."

More than 40 communities have SSA HOPE awards to support expedited enrollment initiatives targeted to long-term homeless individuals. SOAR helps States and localities develop community-based collaborative plans to implement critical components of the model, create comprehensive SSI outreach efforts, build capacity to train front line staff, provide on-going support in response to challenges, and track and report on outcomes. SOAR is now at work in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

SOAR is based on the success of Baltimore's University of Maryland Medical System SSI Outreach Project, one of SSA's first outreach projects, which achieved a success rate on applications of 96% for those deemed likely eligible over 10-year period. Its comprehensive approach to individual's needs employed engagement, relationships, and assessment as integral parts of the project and its curriculum.

The model is based on case managers directly assisting applicants, with a step-by-step explanation of SSI disability determination process using SAMHSA's Stepping Stones to Recovery curriculum. The curriculum focuses on the initial application - "Get it right the first time!" - and avoiding appeals whenever possible by effectively documenting disability.

The SOAR initiative, which has provided training for more than 4,000 front-line case managers who actively assist the most needy applicants, is at work in 24 states and almost 80 cities, including New York City. HOPE and SOAR are increasing successful enrollments for persons who are homeless - on the first application and without lengthy delays or appeals. From an initial level of 10-15% approval rates, the average is now over 60%, and the number of days to an initial SSA decision has been cut from 120 to 87 or less. The result of these targeted efforts, which reach applicants who have been homeless for an average of 33 months, reduces agency backlogs and achieves benefits for individuals, including health care and support in permanent housing.

Other outcomes include involvement of Federal agencies including the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Social Security Administration, as well as State agencies responsible for housing, mental health, Veterans, workforce development, corrections, and Disability Determination Services.

Many enrolled in the HOPE program have gone on to housing, and the SOAR initiative has assisted both individuals and health care providers. In Columbus, Georgia, 100% of those enrolled became housed after an average of 16 months of homelessness. In Covington, Kentucky, the SOAR enrollment initiative increased reimbursement for uncompensated care for the local hospital.

WASHINGTON, DC. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness is pleased to announce three upcoming National Project Homeless Connect events to support communities in executing one-day, one-stop engagement strategies that are consumer-centric and based on best practices.

Shortly the Council will unveil the new PHC Toolkit, along with further information on upcoming technical assistance for interested PHC cities as they plan over the next several months. New this year will be a July PHC Best Practices Institute convened by the Council in Washington, DC. Watch for further details on these resources.

In Fall 2007, the Council will also support a National Week to coincide with the United Way's Days of Caring events in October 2007. Finally, the Council's 2007 National Project Homeless Connect Week will occur December 3-7, 2007. Forty cities took part in the 2006 National Week.

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