<![CDATA[USICH - News]]> http://www.usich.gov/ en sarah.weakley@usich.gov Copyright 2012 2012-05-16T20:13:28+00:00 <![CDATA[HUD Releases $85M NOFA for Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/hud_releases_85m_nofa_for_section_811_project_rental_assistance_demonstrati/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/hud_releases_85m_nofa_for_section_811_project_rental_assistance_demonstrati/#When:20:13:28Z The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Multifamily Housing Programs has published a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (PRA Demo).  This program will provide $85 million in funding to State housing agencies or other appropriate housing agencies to provide long term project-based rental assistance contracts for approximately 2,800 affordable housing units set aside for extremely low-income persons with disabilities. 

This 811 PRA Demo will award rental assistance funds to state housing agencies (or other appropriate entities) that have formed partnerships with state Medicaid and health and human services agencies that have developed methods for identifying, referring, and conducting outreach to a target population of extremely low-income persons with disabilities requiring long term services and supports. These operating funds will be used to set aside supportive units for this target population in affordable housing complexes whose capital costs are funded through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME funds, or other sources. Approximately 8-16 states will receive awards under this demonstration program, with funding expected in the fall 2012.  The deadline to apply for funds under this NOFA is July 31, 2012.

HUD will also be hosting a webinar on this topic, including reviewing the 811 NOFA and answering questions on Wednesday, May 30 at 1:30 pm EDT.

To review the NOFA, read the press release, and stay updated on registering for this webinar, please go to the Section 811 Portal on HUD's website.

Go to Section 811 Portal    

]]> 2012-05-16T20:13:28+00:00 <![CDATA[VA Releases New Study on Incidence of and Risk Factors for Homelessness among Veterans]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/va_releases_new_study_on_incidence_of_and_risk_factors_for_homelessness_amo/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/va_releases_new_study_on_incidence_of_and_risk_factors_for_homelessness_amo/#When:17:46:25Z VA recently released a report on entitled “Incidence of homelessness among Veterans and Risk Factors for Becoming Homeless in Veterans.” This report helps VA to identify which specific subpopulations of Veterans are at a particular high-risk for falling into homelessness  in order to best target prevention efforts moving forward. VA studied roughly 500,000 men and women who separated from military service in 2005 and 2006, of which half were involved in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF). This report most notably found that the presence of mental disorders is the strongest predictor for homelessness, and that military sexual trauma is an especially strong predictor for women Veterans who were involved in OEF/OIF.  The report also details specific incidences for sub-populations in both OEF/OIF and non-OEF/OIF Veterans. This report is an important source of information on what types of issues are faced by Veterans in the most recent conflicts and informs the programs that work to prevent homelessness among Veterans. 

View the full report

]]> 2012-05-15T17:46:25+00:00 <![CDATA[ASPE Releases New Report: Linking Human Services and Housing Assistance for Homeless Families and Families at Risk of Homelessness]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/aspe_releases_new_report_linking_human_services_and_housing_assistance_for/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/aspe_releases_new_report_linking_human_services_and_housing_assistance_for/#When:19:51:46Z This report from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation is the culmination of an 18-month study, conducted by Abt Associates Inc. that observed 14 communities that coordinate federally funded housing supports and comprehensive services to more effectively serve homeless families and families at risk of becoming homeless.  Seven of these models include participation from local public housing agencies.

Learn more and read the report

]]> 2012-05-08T19:51:46+00:00 <![CDATA[The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Announces Innovation Grants Including Two Focused on Homelessness]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/the_center_for_medicare_and_medicaid_services_announces_innovation_grants_i/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/the_center_for_medicare_and_medicaid_services_announces_innovation_grants_i/#When:19:46:20Z The CMS Innovation Center has announced the first batch of preliminary awardees for the Health Care Innovation Awards. These organizations will implement projects in communities across the nation that aim to deliver better health, improved care and lower costs to people enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), particularly those with the highest health care needs. Funding for these projects are for 3 years. This list will be updated as additional projects are selected. The next batch of preliminary awardees will be announced in early June 2012.

Learn more about the projects that were funded

]]> 2012-05-08T19:46:20+00:00 <![CDATA[New HUD-VASH Best Practices Working Document]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/new_hud_vash_best_practices_working_document/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/new_hud_vash_best_practices_working_document/#When:20:03:10Z The purpose of the best practices working document is to spread the word about effective strategies for administering HUD-VASH, as well as highlight the innovation and dedication of HUD-VASH sites and our partners in the field.   It summarizes the most unique and innovative practices submitted by PHAs and VAMCs in response to a request for best practices sent out via the HUD-VASH listserv in the fall of 2011.  Other reports and conversations exchanged among federal agencies, PHAs, and community partners also have informed and will continue to inform this best practices list.  Because HUD-VASH continues to be a work in progress, we have compiled these best practices into a working document that will be edited when effective new approaches are identified and not-so-helpful ones are discarded.

If you know of additional strategies or activities that you have found to be particularly effective for HUD-VASH, which haven’t been highlighted in this version of the report, please send them to kaitlin.miller@hud.gov.  In particular, we would like to expand the section on successful retention and attrition, as well as create a section on strategies for best serving Veterans experiencing chronic homelessness.

Download the document

]]> 2012-05-06T20:03:10+00:00 <![CDATA[HHS Releases Memorandum, Guidance on Improving Outcomes for Children Receiving Child Welfare Services]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/hhs_releases_memorandum_guidance_on_improving_outcomes_for_children_receivi/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/hhs_releases_memorandum_guidance_on_improving_outcomes_for_children_receivi/#When:16:10:44Z Maltreatment, neglect, and trauma have profound effects on the well-being and functioning of children and youth. The many children and youth involved in the child welfare system have experienced these adverse events and often therefore experience the negative effects of these experiences. Based on a wealth of research regarding holistic child well-being, the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services recently released an information memorandum for state, tribal, and territorial agencies administering child welfare services on improving systems to address these issues. The complex set of challenges faced by children involved in child welfare must be met with a system that addresses both the issue of permanency in a home and the effects of maltreatment in the behavioral, emotional, and social functioning of a child.

This information memorandum includes research on the diverse effects of trauma, examples of emerging interventions to address trauma, ways to transition a state's current child welfare system to address well-being, and federal policies and resources available to improve services and outcomes for children.

Read the memorandum

 

]]> 2012-05-02T16:10:44+00:00 <![CDATA[LA Times: Allowing Ex-Offenders Access to Housing Vouchers is Rational Move]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/la_times_allowing_ex_offenders_access_to_housing_vouchers_is_rational_move/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/la_times_allowing_ex_offenders_access_to_housing_vouchers_is_rational_move/#When:16:35:15Z The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board supports the Los Angeles County Housing Authority’s decision to offer Section 8 rental vouchers to ex-offenders experiencing homelessness. The editorial explains, “Homeless ex-convicts, including many who committed only minor, nonviolent crimes, don't go away if they don't get housing aid. Although there are risks associated with the new rule, they're risks worth taking.” This is a key policy supported by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and advocated for in a letter to public housing officials last year.

Read the editorial

Read Shaun Donovan’s letter

 

]]> 2012-04-18T16:35:15+00:00 <![CDATA[USICH Requests Your Ideas on Educational Outcomes for Children and Youth, and Ending Youth Homelessness]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/usich_requests_your_ideas_on_educational_outcomes_for_children_and_youth_an/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/usich_requests_your_ideas_on_educational_outcomes_for_children_and_youth_an/#When:18:01:01Z In 2010, with the input and support from thousands of stakeholders across the United States, USICH launched the first-ever comprehensive federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness, Opening Doors. Together, over the last two years, we have made progress against the bold goals of the Plan by increasing investment in solutions, adopting proven tools to prevent and end homelessness, breaking down silos, and improving data collection, analysis, and reporting. We remain committed to the goals of Opening Doors and to the comprehensive approach described in the Plan.


For this year's update to Opening Doors, we are responding to requests that additional content and clarity would be helpful in two key areas: early childhood learning and educational outcomes for youth and children experiencing homelessness and broad strategies on unaccompanied youth up through age 24.

Share your ideas on the interactive forum

]]> 2012-04-12T18:01:01+00:00 <![CDATA[$5 Million Available in New Grants to Serve Families Facing the Removal of a Child due to Housing Instability]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/5_million_available_in_new_grants_to_serve_families_facing_the_removal_of_a/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/5_million_available_in_new_grants_to_serve_families_facing_the_removal_of_a/#When:17:39:01Z The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is to serve a subset of families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the child, or children, in out-of-home care, or in the delay of discharge of a child, or children to the family from out-of-home care. Community-linked services, as specified in CAPTA, will be provided to families through the local implementation of supportive housing services. Expected outcomes are a reduction in child welfare system contacts, reduction in child maltreatment, child removals, and foster care placements.

These grants will be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families.

Expected Application Deadline: July 28 

Learn more

 

 

]]> 2012-04-12T17:39:01+00:00 <![CDATA[New Report Offers Constructive Alternatives to the Criminalization of Homelessness]]> http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/new_report_offers_constructive_alternatives_to_the_criminalization_of_homel/ http://www.usich.gov/media_center/news/new_report_offers_constructive_alternatives_to_the_criminalization_of_homel/#When:13:45:53Z WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) released a new report, Searching Out Solutions: Constructive Alternatives to Criminalization (SOS), outlining alternatives for communities who implement local measures that criminalize “acts of living.” 

In response to the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act, USICH and the Access to Justice Initiative of the U.S. Department of Justice with support from the Department of Housing and Urban Development convened a summit on the development of constructive alternatives to the criminalization of homelessness. The summit participants shared information on effective and promising practices that serve as alternatives to criminalization and are improving the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness and the community as a whole.

The alternatives to criminalization policies identified in SOS were developed from the discussion at the summit and have been effective in reducing and preventing homelessness in several cities around the country.

“Searching Out Solutions proposes alternatives that can be relatively inexpensive to implement, result in overall cost-savings, and have a lasting positive impact on the quality of life for individuals experiencing homelessness and the larger community,” said USICH Executive Director Barbara Poppe. “In today’s economic climate, it is important for state, county, and local entities to invest in programs that work rather than spend money on activities that are unlikely to achieve the desired result.”

SOS identifies three solutions, examples of specific strategies and interventions, and their successful implementation in communities across the country.

  • The creation of comprehensive and seamless systems of care. In an effort to address gaps in service delivery, many local organizations partner with other service providers and government programs to combine housing and services that are supported by communitywide planning. These systems of care enable long-term reductions in street homelessness and connect individuals with benefits and services that improve stability.
  • Collaboration between law enforcement and behavioral health and social service providers. Collaboration between service providers and law enforcement regarding outreach to individuals and specialized crisis intervention training can limit the number of arrests for non-violent offenses. This partnership can also help link individuals experiencing street homelessness with supportive housing and services to help move individuals off the street permanently.
  • Alternative justice system strategies. Strategies that provide alternatives to prosecution and incarceration and that offer reentry planning for individuals who are returning to the community after interaction with the criminal justice system, have shown an increase in the likelihood that an individual experiencing homelessness will look for permanent housing and seek employment. This solution includes use of specialty courts, citation dismissal programs, holistic public defenders offices, and reentry programs.

Implementing alternatives to the criminalization of homelessness can adequately balance the rights and needs of all those affected by street homelessness in order to achieve the goal of ending it. USICH will continue to facilitate dialogue and investigate constructive alternatives to criminalization measures at all levels of government.

Read Searching Out Solutions

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