KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE. Identifying compassion, public costs, coordination, change, and accountability as key factors, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale last week unveiled their new 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness which calls for a regional point person to lead progress in reaching the plan's goals. "I think there are some people who have been homeless for years and years without, in their minds, a hope of getting out of it, and that's very hurtful to them, and that's very costly to us. It costs $72 a day to have someone in the jail. Hospital emergency rooms take the brunt of those, which is very expensive treatment," said Mayor Haslam. "It starts with saying that we're not going to keep doing it like we've done before," he said.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano, invited to keynote the unveiling, told the partners, " As you know it was exactly one year ago to the day that we were together to launch the ten year planning process. In that time, the leadership of Mayors Haslam and Ragsdale and their personal and professional commitments on this issue have only grown. As the new Plan shows, they've taken the time to learn from other cities and plans and spent the time to coordinate more effectively the resources already in the community." Pictured here are (left to right): Director Mangano, Dr. Nooe, Mayor Ragsdale, and Mayor Haslam.

Planners established a Housing First goal, stating that "leadership is the starting place for solving chronic homelessness and preventing future homelessness." Referring to the plan's call for a single administrator to oversee progress, Mayor Haslam said, "This is a position we can afford. We are willing to make that commitment, that's how much we believe in this." Appointment of the new official is expected in early 2006, with a mission to coordinate funding from the city and county to implement the nine-point plan drafted by the 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness Task Force led by Dr. Roger Nooe of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. City of Knoxville official Michael Dunthorn co- chaired the Task Force.

Other members of the Task Force included representatives of Knoxville Coalition for the Homeless, The Salvation Army, Community Health Services, Knox County District Attorney's Office, Central Business Improvement District, Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, Knoxville's Community Development Corporation, Knoxville Police Department, Knoxville Utilities Board, and Cornerstone Foundation. Knox Area Rescue Ministries also was a member of the Task Force, and, while in Knoxville, Director Mangano toured the Mission's training, residential, and business programs. Council Region IV Coordinator Michael German also took part in the events.

WASHINGTON, DC. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has announced the availability of Challenge Grants to engage volunteers in disaster relief and recovery for those populations affected by the recent hurricanes in the Gulf Coast region. Up to eight one-year Challenge Grants will be awarded, with a projected minimum grant level of approximately $500,000 and projected maximum grant level of approximately $4,000,000.

Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations, including faith-based and other community-based organizations. Previous CNCS Challenge Grant recipients are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 8, 2005. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications electronically using the eGrants system.

Applicants must propose strategies that engage volunteers in full-time, part-time, or episodic service designed to meet the needs in the Gulf Coast region and other regions of the country managing the large influx of evacuees. Applicants must propose either to significantly expand existing services or implement new services that serve the population impacted by the hurricanes, and must provide at least two dollars in private funding for every federal dollar. This match must be in cash and must be raised within the grant period. There will be a preference for proposals that exceed the required two to one match ratio. Applicants must include strategies that engage "baby boomers" [those born between 1946 and 1964] in full- time, part-time, or episodic service designed to meet community needs identified above.

Proposed programs must operate in a minimum of three states. The Corporation will consider applications proposing programs that would be located in one or two states, but only if the scope of the proposed program is statewide in nature and must include one of the following states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas or Alabama. Awards are expected by December 31, 2005.

WASHINGTON, DC. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the Untied States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the award of $7.2 million in new awards to divert individuals with mental illness away from the criminal justice system and into community-based mental health and substance abuse treatment services.

"All too often individuals with mental illness, often with co-occurring substance abuse, are incarcerated instead of receiving treatment for their disorders," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie (pictured here) in announcing the awards. "These grants offer an alternative. By providing treatment and support services, we can avoid the unnecessary criminalization and incarceration of non-violent adult offenders with mental illnesses."

Treatment services funded by the new grants must be based on the best known practices and include case management, Assertive Community Treatment, medication management, integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, and gender based trauma services. Grantees will coordinate with social service agencies to ensure that life skills training, housing placement, vocational training, job placement, and health care are available to diverted persons. FOllowing are the awards:

San Francisco Sheriff's Department-- $311,603 in the first year and similar amounts in subsequent years, to support the Women's Integrated Skills and Health (WISH) project. The program targets incarcerated women through two tracks. The Behavioral Health Court will divert women to treatment services with evidenced-based practices. Walden House, a transitional housing program, will serve as an alternative to women who have already been sentenced. Yolo County, Woodland, California-- $400,000 per year for three years, will enable Project AIM (Alternatives to Incarceration for the Mentally Ill) to provide intensive treatment and support services through an ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) team model to 85 persons with mental illness per year through a post- booking jail diversion program. State of Illinois, Chicago -- $394,994 in the first year and similar amounts in subsequent years, to enable Cook County to expand services through its Mental Health Court to provide trauma informed services including ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) and IDDT (Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment) to 185 non-violent offenders with mental illness.

State of Louisiana, Baton Rouge-- $400,000 per year for three years, to support the planning and implementation of a post-booking jail diversion program in New Orleans. It will employ comprehensive evidenced based practices in treating 50 persons with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse yearly. New York City-- $400,000 per year for three years, to enable the Bronx Borough to expand its mental health court to serve 180 misdemeanants with mental illness. Services will include ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) and Wellness Self- Management practices and utilize culturally and linguistically competent resources. Montgomery County, Virgina -- $400,000 per year for three years, to develop a rural Multi-Jurisdictional Bridge Program for post-booking jail diversion. Sixty-five stakeholders will be involved in program design and implementation. The post-booking, pre-trial diversion program will include a peer ombudsman to ensure that services are individualized, realistic and empowering.

The needs of persons who are homeless with mental illness will be a focus of the upcoming national conference of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services which will convene the Third National Conference Addressing Homelessness for People with Mental Illnesses and/or Substance Use Disorders on October 26-28 in Washington, DC. The theme of the 2005 conference, which is free, is "Preparing People for Change: Knowledge and Choice." The theme focuses on increasing the knowledge of consumers so they may readily share in treatment decisions, as well as increasing the sensitivity of service providers to the unique needs of people who are homeless.

WASHINGTON, DC. The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) of the United States Department of Justice and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) have partnered to use volunteers from AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) at select OJP Weed and Seed sites to help develop programs for ex-offenders returning to their communities. This partnership allows local sites to leverage public and private resources to provide housing, employment, and life skills training for ex- offenders, and mentoring for their children, with the goal of reducing recidivism and crime. The Weed and Seed strategy is employed in 330 sites nationwide. It seeks to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in targeted high-crime neighborhoods and to provide services that prevent crime and revitalize neighborhoods.

The partnership establishes collaboration between OJP's Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO) and CNCS. VISTA volunteers will work with the Weed and Seed reentry efforts in the following cities: Oakland, CA; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL; Indianapolis, IN; Cleveland, OH; Portland, OR; Philadelphia, PA; Providence, RI; Charleston, SC; and Dallas, TX.

Supported by CCDO, VISTA volunteers will build local networks and collaboratives with faith-based and other groups to create local reentry initiatives; to develop community volunteer programs that provide trained community volunteers for programs, including those that offer mentoring to ex-offenders and their families; and to work with the criminal justice system and prisons to develop reentry programs. CCDO supports local sites through its Weed and Seed strategy, which includes four components: law enforcement; community policing; prevention, intervention, and treatment for residents; and neighborhood restoration. Revitalization of communities depends on the economic development made possible by the coordinated use of federal, state and local, and private sector resources.

WASHINGTON, DC. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has established the Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) supports SAMHSA's efforts to prepare states, territories, and local entities to deliver an effective behavioral health response during disasters. DTAC assists states and territories with behavioral health "all- hazards" disaster planning that allows them to prepare for and respond to both natural and man made disasters. DTAC provides consultation to review disaster plans and compiles research on "new" threats and planning methodologies.

DTAC supports collaboration between mental health and substance abuse authorities, Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and experts in the field. The Center organizes training events and workshops and facilitates the sharing of information and best practices. DTAC houses a library of print and electronic resource materials and continually identifies and develops new materials to address gaps and meet emerging disaster behavioral health needs and produces The Dialogue, an electronic quarterly informational bulletin highlighting Center activities and resources relevant to the field. The Center maintains a toll-free help line (1-800-308-3515), a comprehensive Web site, and an e-mail address (dtac@esi-dc.com).

DTAC features resources to assist persons with special needs in disaster situations. Linked to the DTAC web site are the following resources: A Guide for People with Disabilities and Other Activity Limitations (Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions); Disaster Mitigation for People with Disabilities: A Research Resource Guide (Independent Living Research Utilization Program); Emergency Preparedness for Children with Special Health Care Needs (American Academy of Pediatrics); EPI Guide for Emergency Managers, Planners and Responders (The National Organization on Disability); Locating People in Your Community to Include in Emergency Preparedness Planning (The National Organization on Disability); Special Needs and Concerns: Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities (American Red Cross), and Americans With Disabilities Act Home Page (U.S. Department of Justice).

NEW YORK CITY. The nation's largest city, which last year released a 5-year plan, "Uniting For Solutions Beyond Shelter; The Action Plan For New York City," has reported progress in meeting its goals to end homelessness. Commissioner Linda Gibbs of New York City's Department of Homeless Services (DHS) recently announced the first closing of a city shelter whose capacity was deemed no longer necessary with the city's shelter census dropping. The 335-bed Carlton House closed this summer with its residents moved to permanent housing.

The Bank of New York also recently announced a $500,000 grant over two years to support United Way of New York City's Housing Help Center, the first court-based homelessness prevention center in the United States. Open since January, the program aims to prevent the immediate threat of eviction and stabilize families to reduce the risk of future homelessness. The Housing Help Program is one of eight homelessness prevention initiatives included in the Plan.

The Plan included six indicators of success, which are: decrease the number of people living on the streets and in other public spaces; increase the number of people leaving shelter to stable housing; increase the supply of affordable, service-enriched, and supportive housing; decrease the number of applications for shelter; decrease the length of stay in shelter; and decrease the total number of people in shelter.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (pictured here), who unveiled the Plan in June 2004, stated at the time: " "This morning - like every New Yorker in this audience - I woke up in my own bed . . . I didn't stop to think about it. I took it for granted. I was simply . . . home . . . We are too strong, and too smart, and too compassionate a city to surrender to the scourge of homelessness. We won't do it. We won't allow it . . . "

WASHINGTON, DC. WITH THIS ISSUE, the e- newsletter continues its focus on news about the Title V federal surplus property and opportunities to secure resources for homeless programs under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Following are properties listed in recent Federal Register notices of suitable and available land and buildings.

The October 14 listing of suitable and available property contains a listing of Federal buildings and other real property determined to be suitable and available for use. Buildings are available in Kansas, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and Vermont.

In the September 13 full Council meeting, a key federal housing policy development regarding the Title V program and in support of the Administration's goal of ending chronic homelessness was announced. United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) Dr. Michael O'Grady announced to Council members that the Department, responding both to the Administration's goal and the needs of communities, will in the future consider permanent supportive housing as an eligible use for federal surplus property under the McKinney-Vento Title V program.

The Department will publish a notice for review and comment this fall to operationalize the change. The policy change will reverse the approach in place since the creation of the property program in 1987, under which eligible uses for surplus property have been emergency shelter, transitional programs, and supportive services. According to HHS, this policy change will expand the options available to communities to better meet the needs of disabled individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness.

Title V provides that state and local governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, are eligible to apply for land and buildings that have been determined by the federal government to be "suitable and available" for eligible uses to benefit homeless people. More than two dozen agencies of the federal government are included as "landholding" agencies that may have property.