Save the Date for our Annual Supportive Housing Summit!!

Government Affairs

This month, our Director of Government Affairs, Max Seeley, has been actively following the legislative activity happening in Congress. On July 4^th, the President signed the reconciliation bill into law. This law will cause irreparable damage to the state of Illinois and our social safety net by dramatically cutting federal funding for Medicaid and SNAP programs by placing extreme work requirements on these entitlement programs. We at SHPA know that work requirements don’t work. They create unnecessary administrative burdens and make it harder for people to access the support that they are entitled to. These cuts will make safe and stable housing harder to access and sustain. SHPA will continue to work with our partners at the local, state, and national level to identify solutions to limit the damage that will be caused by these cuts.

Peer Leadership Development Program

The 2025 Peer Leadership Conference was held in Bloomington-Normal this week. We had the largest Peer attendance EVER! We were so fortunate that Chief Christine Haley was able to attend and present. It was powerful to have all of the SHPA Peer Leader Advocates together. Thank you to all who attended and participated. We can't wait to see you next year!

Training & Technical Assistance Center

Upcoming Trainings:

Introduction to Microaggressions and Productive Bystander Interventions

Sep 11, 2025, 1:00 PM CDT

Fair Housing in Cook County

In-Person

Wednesday, September 24, 2:00 PM

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!

Please Fill out the Standards and Best Practices Member Survey



This survey is designed to gather valuable insights into the supportive housing experience from the perspective of Individuals in all positions within the supportive housing ecosystem.

The primary purpose of this survey is identifying current standards and best practices that contribute to positive outcomes in supportive housing. The survey highlights areas for improvement and common challenges faced by all involved. The outcomes will guide the development of new targeted training programs for supportive housing providers and the creation of enhanced support services. 

Please click the below to complete the survey.

SHPA recently attended the NAEH Conference in Washington D.C alongside two of our Peer Leaders! Shane and Marketta share their experiences below.

"I recently had the opportunity to attend NAEH National Conference on ending homelessness in Washington DC. It was an amazing gathering of advocates from all around the country dedicated to the same mission. 

  We attended wonderful sessions presented by the experts in their field like Katie Eighan, Sherri Allen-Reeves, and Foluke Akanni, just to mention a few. 

I was able to enjoy the event with SHPA staff, and many other representing and Illinois; we even attended a televised rally at the White House. I had a chance to collaborate and speak with Christine Haley, Chief of Homelessness.

  On the last day, after the conference ended, I was able to do some sightseeing by visiting the zoo, a few museums, and searching out all the Abraham Lincoln statues. 

  Overall, the trip was a complete success and will forever be one of my life-changing memories." 

Shane Reeves, SHPA Peer Leader

"The experience of Washington DC was extraordinary. The sessions had good information that entailed how to bring the community together to fight the fight even when it looks like no hope. The space gave you the opportunity to learn new information and also feel part of the solution instead of the problem. I am so grateful to SHPA for allowing me this experience and making me know why it is so important to do the work and not give up. Though bills were passed that affect us we continue to fight the great fight so that we can be allotted what the needs of the community are blessed to encounter. This experience of sacrifices comes with great accomplishments. The government not only showed how it distracts us with fear tactics but divides us as a people so that we can not get anything done. Through workshops and people believing in the same course of action things are getting done despite the wins in the government arena. We still have a fighting chance if we stick together and not divide and conquer each other while this strategic game is going on. "

Marketta Sims, SHPA Peer Leader

The Supportive Housing Providers Association will continue to administer and support the Illinois Homelessness Education and Technical Assistance Center (HETA), after receiving a competitively awarded grant. The HETA Center first launched in the second half of FY22 (Spring 2023), and subcontracts state funds to support projects aligned with the Home Illinois Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. Projects include the Rural Homelessness Report, One System Initiative, Statewide Medicaid Capacity Building, Homeless Systems-change and Data Improvement projects, 100-Day Challenges, Peer Leadership, Community Advisory Council on Homelessness Annual Report, Home Illinois Summit, and Public Benefits Advocacy and Training, among other projects. 

Prior year's projects can be found on the SHPA website (https://www.shpa-il.org/hetac/) which will be updated early fall. SHPA contracts with High Ground Partners LLC and Project Mavens to provide project development and management support.

Illinois statewide SOAR Coordinator

SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) is an evidence-based practice for assisting individuals who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of becoming homeless and those are unable to work due to severe disabilities, apply for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSI/SSDI). The Statewide SOAR (SSI/SSDI Coordinator will be a key part of the Illinois SOAR State Lead team and will be responsible for developing and implementing a statewide plan to advance SOAR and support SOAR-trained case workers to implement the initiative. 

Download the PDF below to view further details on this open position.

Please submit your resume to the SHPA Executive Director, Eileen McNamee at e.mcnamee@shpa-il.org

Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (IDHS-DBHR) and Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Permanent Supportive Housing Development Funding Available

DBHR Alert - Illinois Opioid Remediation Funds Permanent Supportive Housing Development Funding Available