Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care News
March 2019
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Texas Homeless Network is the lead agency for the
Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care (TX BoS CoC)
. The TX BoS CoC is a group of stakeholders that collaboratively plan and operate the CoC and a range of housing and services to prevent and end homelessness. The TX BoS CoC covers
215 counties
and includes 24 Local Homeless Coalitions (LHCs) that plan, deliver, and evaluate local systems.
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Abilene Makes Headlines for Ending Veteran Homelessness
We are sending many congratulations to leaders in ending homelessness in Abilene! Abilene is the first community in the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care to receive formal recognition for making homelessness for Veterans rare, brief, and non-recurring. Abilene has met both the
Built For Zero
and
United States Interagency Council on Ending Homelessness
metrics for making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.
This accomplishment is several years in the making. Abilene started their systems change journey by completing the
THN Systems Change Toolkit
. This brought them to engage in a 100-Day Challenge, facilitated by our very own Tiffany Hart. They also participated as a community in the THN Built For Zero Learning Collaborative. They have done the difficult work, and it has paid off. Abilene has shown us that we prevent and end homelessness together.
For more about Abilene's announcement read:
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Webinars for Potential New Project Applicants
So You Want to Receive CoC Program Funding...
Applying for Continuum of Care Program Funding can be a difficult process, especially if you are applying for the first time. On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, from 1:30-3:00 PM, THN, the Continuum of Care Lead Agency, will lead a webinar for potential new project applicants. CoC Lead Agency Staff will demystify the process and prepare potential new project applicants for applying for funding this year, and new applicants will learn the basics of applying for Continuum of Care Program Funding.
New Project Applicants: Developing a Strong Project to Serve People Experiencing Homelessness
THN, as the Lead Agency for the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care, is hosting an additional webinar for potential new project applicants for Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funding. On Tuesday, April 30, 2019, from 1:30-3:00 PM, CoC Lead Agency Staff will provide guidance for establishing strong projects and provide tips for submitting strong applications to ensure you are competitive for CoC Program funding. Disclaimer: The CoC Program funding is a competitive process. Attending this webinar does not guarantee that you will be awarded Continuum of Care Program funding.
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New Team Member!
Lindsay LaGrange is the Training Coordinator at THN. She is charged with training and providing technical support to all HMIS users. She is passionate about serving the marginalized people in her community and grateful for her role in working to end homelessness. Lindsay is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana and holds a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from University of South Alabama.
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Annual HMIS Data Security Training
It's that time again! The THN HMIS Team is putting on another mandatory, annual Data Security Training for the 2019 calendar year.
Please note that if you recently trained within the past 4 months, this training will not be mandatory for you.
An email with registration links will be sent out only to those who have been identified in our records as needing to attend this training.
Below are the days and times of the HMIS Data Security Training. Save the date(s) on your calendar. Users should pick only one day to attend. Those who are unable to attend on any day will be put into our online Litmos video course.
Monday, March 25th
- 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Tuesday, March 26th
- 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Thursday, March 28th
- 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
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The Pathways Forward Challenge: Advancing Employment, Equity, and an End to Homelessness
The National Center on Employment and Homelessness (NCEH) at Heartland Alliance, with generous funding from the
Oak Foundation
and
Melville Charitable Trust
, will support up to five communities in advancing systems change ideas that increase employment among people experiencing homelessness.
Through the Pathways Forward Challenge, communities connect people experiencing homelessness with employment opportunities. Houston was awarded this funding through the last RFP, and they expanded their Coordinated Entry process to connect people experiencing homelessness to employment supports.
Learn more about Houston's experience
here
.
Learn more about The Pathways Forward Challenge
here
.
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Increase Your Capacity with AmeriCorps VISTA
If there is a project your organization has had in mind but doesn’t have the capacity to complete, AmeriCorps VISTA can help! Texas Homeless Network currently has 3 site openings. If you are not familiar, the VISTA program helps programs with building processes and sustainable resources by placing a full-time volunteer (VISTA member) at an organization for a full year. Our projects focus specifically on homelessness. In the past, our VISTA members have been successful with improving Local Homeless Coalition coordination and helping to design or implement Coordinated Entry and SOAR programming. Some members in our program also focus on resource development and volunteer programs. In exchange for their service, members are offered a small living stipend, professional development, and an end of service Education Award. Our program will work to help you design a project and to recruit and manage a member or members.
For more information on our VISTA Program, please contact Meagan Moore at
meagan@thn.org
or 512-861-2124.
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Petsmart Charities Grant Opportunity
Preserving Families: Keeping Pets and People Together
Hey y'all! Sophia here. Yesterday during the March General Meeting we spoke about the importance of low barrier shelters, which often allow people and their pets to stay together. I thought of my dog, Grace, and cat, Tommy, while Andrew and Jim were speaking. I would absolutely avoid shelter if it meant having to surrender them. This is where this grand opportunity comes in.
This grant will support programs that facilitate interventions for people and their pets at the point of imminent relinquishment or separation. The intervention takes place at a pivotal point of transition for the human, that will risk the bond between human and animal. The interventions have an identifiable time frame, such as short-term sheltering, may be co-located with a pet or human service agency, and provide a temporary service. This grant opportunity will open Friday, April 3rd.
To learn more about this grant opportunity, click
here
.
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Safety Nets for Students and Families
The Safety Nets for Students and Families project will be holding events in areas affected by Hurricane Harvey. For more information, please visit our blog for a description and to
sign up
.
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North Texas
East Texas
South Texas
West Texas
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These articles were gathered from Google Alerts and emails sent directly to us. If you have articles about your community's efforts to prevent and end homelessness that you want highlighted in our next newsletter, please email the articles to
txboscoc@thn.org.
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The following are resources TX BoS CoC Lead Agency staff have found that we believe would be beneficial to your local efforts to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time:
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
Aligning Affordable Housing Efforts with Actions to End Homelessness
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MARCH
Annual HMIS Data Security Training
Monday, March 25th - 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Tuesday, March 26th - 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Thursday, March 28th - 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Pathways Forward Challenge Proposals Due
Friday, 3/29/2019, 7:00 p.m. CT
APRIL
Homelessness Awareness Day
Thursday, 4/4/2019
Join us for Homelessness Awareness Day (HAD) at the Texas State Capitol!
April CE Unplugged
Tuesday, 4/9/2019
10:00 am- 11:00 am
TX BoS CoC April General Meeting
Wednesday, 4/10/2019
2:00-4:00 PM
Topic: Permanent Housing -
Rapid Re-Housing (PH-RRH)
Affordable Housing for Rural Veterans Applications Due
Monday, 4/11/2019
SAVE THE DATE
Strengthening School and Community Collaboration
This networking session builds new collaborations and strengthens existing collaborations between school districts and community service providers. Participants will leave the session with at least one new or enhanced collaborative activity. The session is designed for homeless education liaisons, school social workers, Communities in Schools staff, and community/faith-based social services providers.
Thursday, 4/18/2019
1:00 - 3:00 PM
Beaumont
So You Want to Receive CoC Program Funding...
Applying for Continuum of Care Program Funding can be a difficult process, especially if you are applying for the first time. THN, the Continuum of Care Lead Agency, will demystify the process and prepare potential new project applicants for applying for funding this year. During this webinar, new applicants will learn the basics of applying for Continuum of Care Program Funding.
Tuesday, 4/23/2019
1:30-3:00 PM
New Project Applicants: Developing a Strong Project to Serve People Experiencing Homelessness
THN, as the Lead Agency for the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care, is hosting an additional webinar for potential new project applicants for Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funding. During this webinar, CoC Lead Agency Staff will provide guidance for establishing strong projects and provide tips for submitting strong applications to ensure you are competitive for CoC Program funding. Disclaimer: CoC Program funding is awarded through a competitive process. Attending this webinar does not guarantee that you will be awarded Continuum of Care Program funding.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
1:30-3:00 PM
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Anyone who works or lives in the CoC's geographic area, and all housing and homeless services projects in the CoC's geographic area, are considered to be members of the CoC. The CoC has an open invitation process, so members may join at any time.
Share this email with anyone you think may be interested!
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CoC General Meeting Schedule
Stay informed about CoC happenings by participating in the monthly webinars. Each meeting will feature a topic that is important to preventing and ending homelessness. See the
schedule for dates, topics, and registration links.
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CoC Program Funding
If you are a representative of an agency that is interested in applying for United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funding, please contact
txboscoc@thn.org
.
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Your CoC Team
We look like the Brady Bunch when all our video cameras are turned on during CoC General Meeting webinars. Join us on the second Tuesday of every month!
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The TX BoS CoC is a focus area of the Texas Homeless Network.
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See what's happening on our social sites
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