Dear friends,
We are quickly moving toward January, and our annual Point-in-Time and Youth Counts. These efforts are critically important to understanding how we are doing, and how we can do better, in our effort to end homelessness.
Developing better and more reliable data on the scope of youth homelessness in our state is particularly critical, given the lack of information on this population in the past. We in Connecticut have adopted, along with our Reaching Home partners, the goal of ending youth homelessness by 2020 – and we need to know the numbers to get there.
With all this in mind, I hope you will read the new national report,
Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in America
,
published in November by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. This is the first national study that highlights the prevalence and incidence of youth homelessness in the United States from the Voices of Youth Count national survey, and largely aligns with our own findings in the
2017 CT Youth Count
!
Please read more, below, about the 2018 Youth Count and PIT.
Happy Holidays to you and yours! May you enjoy the warmth of family, friends, and home this season. And thank you for all you do, every day, for those in need.
Sincerely,
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Lisa Tepper Bates
Executive Director
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New ID Resource for Justice Involved Individuals
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The CT Coalition to End Homelessness is partnering with the CT Department of Correction (DOC) to assist individuals who were previously incarcerated and are experiencing homelessness in claiming any identification they may have left with the CT DOC. The DOC Central Office keeps unclaimed identification for two years post discharge per department policy. Please
click here to review this policy.
Any individual who is currently homeless and has reintegrated back into the community within the last two years may inquire about any identifying documentation that may be stored at the CT DOC. Please complete the
DOC Identification Inquiry Form and email it to Elisha Chornoby, Counselor Supervisor at the DOC, at
[email protected]. The DOC Identification Inquiry Form is located on the
Resource Page of the CCEH website and accessible to homeless service providers.
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2018 Youth Count- We need you!
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The third annual youth count is quickly approaching, and we need your help! The 2018 statewide youth count will take place January 24 through January 30, 2018. Volunteers will assist in surveying homeless and housing unstable youth between the ages of 14-24.
The 2018 CT Youth Count will provide information essential to the Coalition’s efforts to advance toward the goal of ending youth homelessness by 2020. The Youth Count is powered by schools, youth providers, state agencies, faith-based groups, and youth themselves. You can help make the youth count a success by becoming a 2018
youth count volunteer
.
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be homeful
for the holidays campaign
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Thank you to everyone who has generously donated to the
be homeful
for the holidays campaign so far. We have already raised over $21,000. It is not too late to
start your own bear-raiser
and make a difference this holiday season. If you are interested in starting a bear-raiser contact AnnaDea at
[email protected]
and we will send you your free bear-raiser kit or you can make a donation at
behomeful.org/give
.
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Northeast (YETI) makes a difference
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Avery Lenhart, YETI lead for the Northeast region discusses her work with engaging students in education and prevention about homeless youth.
"Passion and enthusiasm about the work that we do go a long way to get others enthused about our mission. My YETI team and I contacted all of the high schools in our CAN region and set up meetings with McKinney-Vento liaisons, school counselors and social workers, and any administrators who would like information about our efforts to end youth homelessness".
Read Avery's entire article
here
.
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Save the Date 2018 Annual Training Institute
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The Annual Training Institute (ATI) is Connecticut’s premier capacity-building event for organizations working to prevent and end homelessness. At this event, CCEH provides training and information on best practices, national and state-level policy changes, and changes in major systems as they relate to ending homelessness.
Thanks to the tireless work of frontline providers and homeless advocates, Connecticut has been recognized nationally for our shared success ending homelessness for our most vulnerable individuals. At the 2018 Annual Training Institute we will once again come together to discuss best practices, provide trainings and work together to end homelessness.
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In preparation for the FY 2017 HUD-NOFA, the Opening Doors of Fairfield County (ODFC) Continuum of Care established a cost standard for HUD funded permanent supportive housing projects factoring in project level information on housing units, fair market rents, unit composition of each project and types of households served. Projects were reviewed, with each receiving an individualized cost standard against which its annual renewal amount of HUD funding was compared. Projects whose budgets exceeded the cost standard were directed to reallocate funds back to the CoC to create new projects as part of the FY 2017 HUD funding application and each submitted a reduced budget with their renewal application to HUD.
The CoC was able to reallocate nearly 8% of ODFC’s annual renewal amount through this strategy, and funds were primarily designated toward a new scattered site PSH project to be located in the ODFC region, with a small portion allocated toward enhancing coordinated entry support services. If awarded, the new PSH project, sourced through this redistribution of funds, will create 45 units for chronically homeless individuals to both enhance ODFC’s progressive engagement efforts on rapid exits from homelessness and support the CoC’s ultimate goal of ending chronic homelessness.
More information can be found on the
ODFC
website.
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The Point-in-Time Count is a one-day count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families across the United State. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that each count is conducted at the end of January every year. Join us to make a difference in the lives of homeless men, women, and children throughout Connecticut by taking part in the nation's largest homeless census.
Participate in searching for and administering a survey to homeless individuals and families in Connecticut. You may designate the region that you would prefer to participate in and will be trained with a team of volunteers.
You can volunteer for the PIT by signing up
here
.
Please contact Jackie Janosko,
[email protected]
, for more information or with any questions.
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Upcoming Trainings and Recorded Webinars
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Upcoming Trainings:
December 6, 2017 - Administering the Next Step Tool and VI-SPDAT
December 11, 2017- Utilizing Mobile Crisis Services
December 14, 2017 Accessing Mainstream Resources through 211
December 19, 2017- December Shelter Diversion
November Recorded Webinar:
Opioid Overdose Prevention/Naloxone (Narcan) Initiative
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For more information and to learn about all the resources CCEH has to offer please check out cceh.org.
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