WASHINGTON, D.C. Announcements over the past week by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson regarding ongoing VA facility modernization reviews to ensure first class health care for America's veterans into the 21st century are good news for homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area and for veterans across the nation suffering from mental health disorders.

On Tuesday, Secretary Nicholson announced his decision to designate three buildings on the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center available for homeless veterans programs. The future of the buildings have been under consideration as part of the larger examination through the Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) process on the use and modernization needs of the West Los Angeles VA campus. With an estimated 17,000 veterans sleeping on the streets of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica City Council Member Bobby Shriver has spearheaded the effort to secure the use of the buildings for housing and treating homeless veterans, obtaining support from numerous regional officials including Los Angeles County Board Supervisor Chair Zev Yaroslavsky.

"Our goal is to help these veterans return to their communities as solid citizens, gainfully employed, living independently with restored dignity," said Secretary Nicholson who also indicated support for relocating the VA Regional Office, which processes disability pay and other VA benefits, to the campus from its current location at the Los Angeles Federal Building to facilitate coordination of medical care with benefits claim processing.

A study presenting a detailed analysis of the modernization options for the campus will be presented at a third Local Advisory Panel meeting on September 6 that will include an opportunity for public comment.

Last week, Secretary Nicholson announced that the historic Canandaigua VA Medical Center in New York's Finger Lakes region would be designated a "Mental Health Center of Excellence." Working in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester, the facility "will oversee a broad range of efforts-locally, regionally, and nationally - to improve mental health care for veterans."

As a Center of Excellence, the Canandaigua Center will focus on suicide prevention, post traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. Already, the VA's recently opened National Suicide Prevention Hotline for veterans, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has been centered at Canandaigua where it is being staffed by mental health professionals. Veterans in need of assistance can call the toll free hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for immediate help from on-call professionals and then be referred for follow up treatment at their local VA facility.

The VA is the largest provider of mental health care in the nation. This year, the Department will spend about $3 billion for mental health care for veterans. More than 9,000 mental health professionals, backed up by primary care physicians and other health professionals in every VA medical center and outpatient clinic, provide mental health care to about 1 million veterans each year.

"All service members who experience the stresses of combat can have wounds on their minds as well as their bodies. Veterans should see mental health services as another benefit they have earned, which the men and women of VA are honored to provide," said Secretary Nicholson.

Modernization plans for the Canandaigua campus also include the construction of a 50 bed residential rehabilitation facility, 120 bed nursing home, and renovated outpatient services. The VA is exploring use of other portions of the 171 acre campus for complementary services for veterans. The VA's health care network is administratively divided into 22 geographically based integrated service networks known as VISNs. Each VISN has a homeless veterans coordinator. For Canandaigua, that coordinator is Robert Van Keuren, former chair of the VA Secretary's Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans and a founding member of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness encourages all jurisdictions engaged in developing and implementing 10-Year Plans to End Chronic Homelessness to include representatives of their local VA facilities, and state and local departments and offices representing the needs of veterans, as stakeholders in the planning effort to leverage and maximize these available VA resources. Accessing resources targeted to homeless veterans not only helps end the homelessness of veterans. It also means that homeless veterans will utilize fewer dollars not specifically targeted to them, thus maximizing the use of available resources for other subpopulations of persons experiencing homelessness in the community.

More information on meeting the needs of homeless and at risk veterans through 10- Year Plan efforts can be found on the Council's website. On September 19, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano has been invited to keynote the 6th Annual Western New York Homeless and Hunger Symposium in Rochester. The symposium highlights local, state, and federal resources, initiatives and collaborations accessible to prevent and end homelessness and hunger in the region and this year will include a special workshop on Maximizing Federal Resources: Partnering with the Region II Interagency Council on Homelessness. That same week, neighboring Oneida County together with the cities of Utica and Rome will kickoff a regional 10-Year Planning effort to be co-chaired by Utica Mayor Timothy Julian and Rome Mayor James Brown.

COLUMBUS, OHIO. Committing to provide leadership from the top, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (pictured here) has established an Interagency Council on Homelessness and Affordable Housing chaired by Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher to create and implement a long term plan to end chronic homelessness in the Buckeye State.

"Because Ohio has not developed a long term plan for ending homelessness, we have paid the price through higher healthcare, emergency shelter and criminal justice costs," said Governor Strickland. "We know that supportive housing that is permanent with services to help people become healthy and employable is more cost effective and humane, and we have examples in Ohio that prove it works. It takes leadership at the top levels of government, however, to coordinate the resources of housing, mental health, employment and other services to create supportive housing that works . . . A long term plan with commitment from the top will focus policy on the systemic changes that are needed to align affordable housing and access to supportive services to achieve better individual and community outcomes."

The Governor's April Executive Order 2007-8S designated participation on the Council by members of the state legislature, state agency heads, and service providers or statewide organizations that provide services or interact with homeless and those at risk to serve on the Council "to unite key state agencies to formulate policies and programs that address affordable housing issues and the needs of Ohioans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness."

Governor Strickland's commitment to "provide leadership from the top" and his recognition of the economic consequences of not developing a plan are the twin levers that are driving the most successful jurisdictional efforts to end chronic homelessness, noted United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. "Jurisdictions that have seen a decrease in homelessness with a 10- Year Plan all have one common factor -- the political will of the jurisdictional CEO."

Earlier this month, upon the recommendation of the Council at its first meeting, Governor Strickland signed an Executive Order creating a Family Homelessness Prevention Pilot. The Prevention Pilot will be funded by $1.2 million in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds and $800,000 Ohio Trust Fund dollars to provide two year demonstration grants to non profit organizations in five urban and rural Ohio communities. Each demonstration will provide intensive prevention assistance to families in subsidized housing, or in need of subsidized housing, who are at the greatest risk of becoming homeless. The program's success will be measured by the efficiency in targeting families who have "no other safe, alternative housing, except emergency shelter"; effectiveness in preventing loss of housing and literal homelessness; and ease of replication to other communities across Ohio. A Request for Proposals is currently being developed.

At the first meeting, Lt. Governor Fisher (pictured here) outlined some of the objectives for the Council's work including increasing the number of supporting housing units; removing barriers to accessing mainstream resources for residents of supportive housing; including a prevention focus along with housing and services in a long term plan to end chronic homelessness; and supporting implementation of federally funded programs aimed at positive re-entry.

Council members also heard from Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton regarding her "Kitchen Kabinet" initiative through which she has opened doors of communication between the court system and the mental health system with particular attention on the need for housing targeted to individuals suffering from mental illness.

As the Ohio Interagency Council's work unfolds through work groups and a Policy Committee, the Council will be addressing access to housing and mainstream resources for chronically homeless persons; family homelessness and prevention; research and planning; and systems transition and discharge protocols.

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS. It's a simple question, How Can We Help You? and for the 500 homeless and at risk women, men and children who were welcomed to the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts last Friday for the community's first Project Homeless Connect, that question was the beginning of putting homelessness behind them.

Springfield is the 3rd largest city in the Bay State and 4th largest in New England with a population of just under 152,000. In January, Springfield Mayor Charles V. Ryan unveiled the community's 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, Homes Within Reach, at a press conference with United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. Peter Pan Bus Lines Executive Vice President Bob Schwarz chairs the Plan Implementation Committee. Last Friday, the community held its first Project Homeless Connect, an effort led by Plan Implementation Committee member Reverend Greg Dyson of Church in the Acres. Mayor Ryan, Reverend Dyson, and Mr. Schwarz were joined by Council Director Mangano and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 1 Director Brian Golden, in welcoming those who came seeking assistance along with the 150 volunteers and representatives of more than 80 service providing organizations that included the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration. Shown here (top l-r), are Mr. Schwarz, Director Mangano, and Mayor Ryan speaking with PHC participants. Reverend Dyson is shown addressing the volunteers.

The all day event began with a rally for volunteers that included remarks by Mayor Ryan, Director Mangano and PHC Chair Dyson. Director Mangano praised the Mayor and the volunteers for welcoming back to "community connection" their most vulnerable and disabled homeless neighbors through the national innovation of Project Homeless Connect held at the MassMutual Center, "the community's living room." The day included breakfast and lunch seatings, workshops and direct services from over 80 entities, and concluded with musical entertainment sponsored by several faith based organizations. Housing application assistance, referrals, and counseling; eye exams and eyeglasses; medical care including HIV tests, dental screenings; haircuts; and ID issuance and birth certificate orders paid for from the more than $5000 in corporate donations were among the services identified during exit interviews as being most helpful. Corporate sponsors included Alta Moda, Bertera, Babson Capital Management, Bay State Medical Center, Lions Den, Mercy Hospital, Montenia's Restaurant, Peter Pan Bus Lines, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Springfield College, and Williams Distributing. On site child care was provided to 55 children reports City Homeless and Special Needs Director Geraldine McCafferty. Pictured top in this sequence of photos of services at the event is U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Region I Director Brian Golden speaking with Deborah Burns of the Springfield Health and Human Services Agency regarding oral health services at the event that were funded in part by HHS. See related story at the end of this issue for more information on the extensive services offered and outcomes.

Reflecting a sentiment shared by many, one volunteer described participating in the event as "absolutely eye opening regarding the struggles the homeless endure." By increasing community awareness of the needs of homeless neighbors, and forging new partnerships among service providers, and with the business and faith based communities, the Connect event has increased momentum for the community's 10-Year Plan implementation efforts that include development of a 24/7 resource center and as Mayor Ryan said at the Plan's unveiling, "not housing after shelter, not housing never, but housing first."

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. Buoyed by their experience at Project Homeless Connect events held in Minneapolis and St. Paul over the last two years which have successfully connected chronically homeless individuals and homeless families to services and supports leading out of homelessness to greater self sufficiency, Twin City youth service providers staged a "Project Youth Connect" last week focused on homeless and at risk youth ages 14-23. Held in the more intimate setting of St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, 144 young people, predominantly ages 16-21 and nearly evenly split between men and women, were welcomed and assisted by 50 service providers. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak who helped lead development of the Minneapolis/Hennepin County 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness and who has been a strong supporter of the Connect events visited the Youth Connect, thanking the volunteers and service providers for their efforts to prevent and end homelessness among the youth of the community.

Mary Revoy of the Bridge for Runaway Youth, Inc, and Sandra Anderson of St. Mary's coordinated the event with a Steering Committee comprised of youth workers from numerous community non profits, faith- based congregations and government agencies. Church volunteers prepared bag lunches and served a full evening meal. Youth friendly entertainment was also provided. Street outreach workers from various organizations served as guest escorts through the myriad of services that were divided into 4 areas: Health Care including mental health and an onsite clinic with STD testing; Employment Assistance; Education including high school enrollment, alternative and adult basic education options, and higher education information; and a Housing category that included shelters, transitional and permanent housing, drop in centers, and legal assistance information. HousingLink provided well organized information about rental housing opportunities. The young people were able to use a ticket received upon entry to pick out free clothes and hygiene products based on a point value system.

Youth learned about the event through street outreach workers, provider agency referrals, artwork posters left at drop-in centers and other places, and public advertising. The St. Mary's site is located near two major bus routes and additional transportation to the event was provided from pick up points by The Bridge for Runaway Youth. Transportation from the event was provided with free bus passes. Of the 113 youth who completed an exit survey, 55.75% self reported they were living in a shelter or an unstable living environment and 40.71% said they felt that the event helped them connect with services related to housing.

Preventing and ending homelessness among youth is an integral part of the Heading Home Hennepin 10-Year Plan with benchmarks that include taking action to improve the discharge of youth exiting foster care and other public systems; create 60 shelter beds and 910 supportive housing opportunities, of which 60% would be achieved through tenant based rental assistance and "host homes"and 40% new units; engage homeless youth, unaccompanied youth with education and employment opportunities; create suburban youth outreach teams, and improve mental health coordination for youth. More information about the Heading Home Hennepin 10-Year Plan Implementation Benchmarks can be found on the Ending Homelessness in Minneapolis and Hennepin County website.

Pictured here, are volunteers at the event. Bottom picture, l-r, City/County Program Analyst Matthew Ayers, Event co-chair Mary Revoy, Hearth Connection Provider Support Manager Jill Garcia, and United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Regional Coordinator Daryl Hernandez.

DENVER, COLORADO. "Smarter and better government involves strategic investments that deliver maximum results with limited resources," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper describing the philosophy that guided development of Denver's 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. The Plan, Denver's Road Home, called for the development of 942 units of permanent supportive housing with the goal of reducing chronic homelessness by 75% by June 2010. Not quite two years into Plan implementation, chronic homelessness has been reduced by 36% and Denver officials say that the resultant savings in detox and other human service agency costs is sufficient to finance the development of 200 more permanent supportive housing units for persons experiencing chronic homelessness.

"It's now time to take those cost savings and invest them in housing, says Denver Department of Human Services Manager Roxane White who helped lead development of the Denver's Road Home plan. City officials note that chronic alcoholics, who are now in permanent housing and treatment programs through the Denver's Road Home effort, have typically reduced their trips to the city's detox center known as Denver Cares by 80%. City officials have suggested to the City Council that in lieu of bond financing, 200 more units of permanent supportive housing could be financed through lease purchase agreements with certificates of participation, in which the buildings would serve as the collateral and the nearly $1.8 million a year payments covered by the savings in detox and human service agency costs.

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON. Washington State officials are moving forward to implement two new housing initiatives approved during the recent legislative session to facilitate successful offender re-entry and prevent youth exiting the foster care system from becoming homeless. Both initiatives are being administered through the Washington State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED), which is also the lead agency for the Washington State Interagency Council on Homelessness.

The Independent Youth Housing Program will help youth exiting the foster care system avoid experiencing homelessness through rental assistance and case management that will include creating a "youth-driven safety and independent living plan with short and long term goals to obtaining and retaining stable housing, economic independence and self sufficiency." Up to three awards totaling $647,550 will be made to local governments, local housing authorities, nonprofit community or neighborhood- based organizations, federally recognized Indian tribes in the state of Washington, or regional or statewide nonprofit housing assistance organizations for an initial 20 month program.

The program is targeted to youth at least 18 years but under 23 years of age whose incomes do not exceed 50% of the area median, with priority for those who were in the state's care for at least one year. All participating youth will be required to contribute up to 30% of income toward rent, will receive training on tenants rights and responsibilities and may be referred to "ready to rent" programs, and will be connected and encouraged to participate in individual development account programs and other financial literacy programs. If the youth is already receiving case management services through a transitional living program or other service provider, the grantee must partner and collaborate with the case manager with whom the youth is already involved to ensure the plan is current, and that the youth is receiving the case management, information, and referral services needed. The Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment (ACLSA) must be completed by both the participating youth and his/her case manager within 30 days of intake and every six months thereafter. If a youth already has an existing assessment schedule, he/she can continue with that schedule. A program participant whose income increases to above 50% of area median will be allowed to continue to receive rental assistance during the program period provided he/she participates in an individual development account program.

All program participants will be entered into the homeless client management information system (HMIS). The program includes as "intermediate" outcome measures the number and percentage of program participants achieving incomes of at least 50% of area median, exiting to permanent housing, and remaining housed for at least 6 months. An "ultimate" outcome measure is one seen as benefiting the individual and the community - that these youth don't experience homelessness.

Offender Re-Entry Housing Pilot

According to the Washington Department of Corrections, approximately 8,500 offenders return to the community from Washington prisons each year after completing their sentences and over 25,900 offenders are currently on active supervision in the community. Following recommendations of a task force on "Offender Re-Entry" convened by the Legislature and Governor Chris Gregoire to improve housing outcomes of released offenders as part of a broader anti-recidivism strategy, the Washington State Legislature authorized the CTED to develop an Offender Housing Pilot Program in at least two of five eligible counties including Snohomish, King, Pierce, Yakima, Clark and Spokane.

Under the legislation, eligible applicants can include units of local government, housing authorities, a regional support network, non profit or federally recognized Indian Tribe. The pilot program will offer up to 12 months of transitional supportive housing including life skills training and ongoing mentoring and must be operated in collaboration with a community justice center. Housing priority will be given to offenders designated as high risk, high needs or who have been determined to not have a viable release plan by the Department of Corrections. CTED recently solicited expressions of interest from potential applicants in which they were asked to describe existing housing which will be used to help further refine development of the program. CTED expects to release the Request for Proposals by mid September with site selections by mid November.

WASHINGTON, D.C. Jurisdictions and community organizations engaged in implementing regional or statewide Project Homeless Connect events may wish to take note of a funding availability announcement by the Corporation for National and Community Service aimed at increasing volunteer retention and expanding the use of volunteers to address societal challenges. Described in an August 20 funding announcement on www.grants.gov, the purpose of this grant competition is to assist national, regional, and statewide organizations in planning for and implementing activities within their networks and communities to increase volunteer retention; expand current use of volunteers by creating new volunteer roles and recruiting the appropriate volunteers to fill them; improve both the impact of volunteers' activities and how that impact is measured; and develop strategies that sustain the impact and results associated with the project after the conclusion of Corporation funding.

Examples of the types of activities this grant may support include:

• assessing current volunteer use and management practices
• designing competency-based volunteer roles and descriptions
• engaging stakeholders in collaborative planning and implementation processes
• developing new or improved measurement systems to track the impact of volunteers
• conducting recruitment activities or developing strategic partnerships to attract the appropriate volunteers to fill newly created volunteer roles
• implementing volunteer management practices -- such as screening, orientation, training, and recognition -- to increase retention

Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed project would, over a two-year period, significantly improve retention, expand their current use of volunteers, and help them improve and better measure the impact of their volunteers. Application deadline is September 6.

TRANSITION OF DISASTER HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FROM FEMA TO HUD INCLUDES MORE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO FAMILIES TO ACHIEVE GREATER SELF SUFFICIENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. Even as federal agencies are prepared to respond to impacts from this 2007 hurricane season, federal support is continuing to help Gulf Coast families displaced by the devastating impact of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina nearly two years ago rebuild their lives.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reaffirmed last week that the transition of the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) rental assistance from FEMA to HUD will be as seamless as possible for the approximately 30,000 FEMA-assisted families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita currently living in private rental units. HUD will use its national network of Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) to provide housing assistance and case management services to the families which FEMA has certified as eligible for assistance. 'We are trying to make every effort to ease the concerns of these families and assure them there will be no break in payments," said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson.

HUD has established a toll free number 1- 866-373-9509, to answer questions about the transition. The call center will take calls from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends. HUD officials will also conduct a satellite broadcast on August 23, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m Eastern that can be accessed through: AM-1(C-Band) Transponder 9, Channel 9 3880 MHz Horizontal --103 Degrees W. Longitude.

HUD officials report the DVAP transition is being implemented as follows:

• FEMA's existing contractor, CLC, will continue to make rental assistance payments on behalf of eligible families through October 2007 to assure there is no interruption in rental subsidy payments to landlords. PHAs will assume this responsibility for the payments effective November 1, 2007 though outreach to families by PHAs to begin intensive case management services will begin September 1.
• FEMA will continue to make rental assistance payments directly to eligible families who have been paying their own landlords through October 2007 to assure there is no interruption in assistance. PHAs will also assume responsibility for these rent payments effective November 1, 2007 but such payments will be made directly to landlords.
• Prior to November 1, 2007, PHAs will contact the landlords and ensure the necessary documents are in place so that those families will continue to receive uninterrupted assistance payments through DHAP. The families do not have to take any action. PHAs will provide search assistance to those families that need to move as a result of the transition.
• Beginning January 2008, HUD will begin working with FEMA to transition eligible families out of travel trailers and into rental housing in the private market.
• On March 1, 2008, the level of subsidy will begin to be reduced, which will gradually lead families toward independence. Participants will pay a portion of the cost, which will begin at $50 per month and incrementally increase each month thereafter until the program concludes on March 1, 2009.
• Seniors and the disabled whose primary source of income is Supplemental Security Income or other fixed income that make them eligible to receive assistance under existing HUD programs will be protected. HUD, through its network of PHAs, will actively work to transition these individuals into its existing programs.
• Residents in the program will also receive case management services coordinated by PHAs to help them get back on their feet, including financial education, job training or other social services.
• Families and individuals in the program will be given complete information, supportive services, resources and ample time to prepare themselves for the end of temporary, subsidized housing.

On August 17, Springfield, Massachusetts held its 1st Project Homeless Connect and with the help of 150 volunteers, numerous faith congregations, and more than 80 service organizations assisted more than 500 homeless and at risk men, women and children. Outcomes:

• 5 veterans were housed
• 351 applications for Section 8 and public housing were completed
• 141 people received housing counseling
• 76 Massachusetts IDs issued (paid for by the corporate donations)
• 76 birth certificates ordered (paid for by the corporate donations)
• 250 bus tickets issued
• 70 dental screenings
• 21 medical examinations, with 43 follow-up medical appointments made
• 131 chair massages
• 41 foot washes
• 60 haircuts
• 50 pairs of eyeglasses ordered
• 29 Social Security/SSI applications
• 49 MassHealth/Commonwealth Care applications
• 29 veterans benefits applications
• 229 employment & training contacts
• 90 people received legal advice
• 150 people received consumer information and advice
• 21 people received immigration advice
• 65 people made phone calls
• 55 children cared for at the on-site child care center
• 600 children's books given away

email: usich@usich.gov

web: http://www.usich.gov