IN THE NEWS

NHCHC Releases Manual on Health Problems Affecting Homeless Care Providers

The National Health Care for the Homeless Council announces the publication of a major new resource for all of those who deal directly with people experiencing homelessness. "The Health Care of Homeless Persons: A Manual of Communicable Diseases & Common Problems in Shelters & on the Streets" is a practical, highly informative guidebook that should be available in every clinic, shelter, service site and housing facility that provides services to homeless persons.

The manual describes 36 serious health problems that frequently afflict homeless persons and discusses appropriate responses and treatment. The manual addresses communicable disease control and safe food handling in shelter settings, and describes current approaches to the management of chronic diseases. It includes convenient patient education materials in English and Spanish that can be easily reproduced for clients, staff, and volunteers.

The manual costs $15 per copy, postage paid. To order copies of The Health Care of Homeless Persons, visit http://www.nhchc.org/manual.htm, or call the National Health Care for the Homeless Council at 615-226-2292.

House Committee FY 2005 VA-HUD Appropriations Bill Could Cut Homeless Programs

The House of Representatives Appropriations Committee passed its FY 2005 VA-HUD appropriations bill on July 22, a measure that promises to be hotly debated. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is funded at $37.7 billion, $1 billion above the president's request but $108 million below last year's level. Some advocates praise a 5.6 percent, $1.56 billion increase in Section 8 housing voucher programs, but others claim the increase will be paid for by the nation's homeless and poorest citizens through a 4% reduction in other HUD public assistance programs. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would receive $30.3 billion for the Veterans Health Administration, which funds VA homeless veteran programs. That is $1.2 billion more than the president requested, and a $1.9 billion increase over FY 2004.

According to Congressional Quarterly, the full House is unlikely to wrestle with the VA-HUD appropriations bill until after the November elections. The Senate Appropriations Committee has not yet completed its version of the bill. Now is the time for homeless service providers to contact their Senators and Representatives to make sure homeless veterans are not lost in the upcoming debates. To view the appropriations priorities that are most critical to homeless veteran service providers, and for information about who to contact, click here. To view the House Committee's report on VA-HUD, go to http://appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm.

Fannie Mae and National Alliance to End Homelessness Announce Partnership

In a ceremony at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., Fannie Mae Executive Vice President Robert Levin kicked off a new partnership between Fannie Mae and the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Fannie Mae first announced an expansion of its American Dream Commitment on March 11, 2004, which included a major effort to spur the development of permanent supportive housing to help end chronic homelessness. Fannie Mae has a similar association with the Corporation for Supportive Housing.

"The Alliance is a leader in working with communities, the public and private sectors, and policy makers to change the mindset on homelessness - from one of managing the problem to one of solving the problem," said Levin as he presented Alliance Board Co-Chairman Barbara Easterling with a $1 million award to support the Alliance's efforts to end homelessness. "Fannie Mae's partnership with the Alliance will further a number of new initiatives designed to increase the supply of permanent supportive housing as part of our expanded American Dream Commitment." As part of that commitment, Fannie Mae will provide private capital for permanent supportive housing, including predevelopment financing and a new fund to purchase tax credits.

For more information about Fannie Mae's expanded American Dream Commitment, see http://www.fanniemae.com/newsreleases/2004/3008.jhtml.

National Campaign to Guard Voting Rights of Homeless People Hits High Gear

Homeless people face unique challenges when trying to participate in the electoral process. Lack of a permanent address and identification, or local residency requirements may prevent homeless people from voting. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty has released a report that examines the barriers to voting for people experiencing homelessness and what can be done to ensure those barriers do not prevent homeless people from voting in the upcoming election. For more on voting laws and regulations that affect the homeless in each state, see http://www.nlchp.org/content/pubs/Voting Rights Report Complete (2004).pdf.

Tools to help communities gear up, including suggested activities, strategies and resources like the National Coalition for the Homeless' Voter Rights/Registration Packet, are available at http://www.nationalhomeless.org/vote2004/index.html.

RESOURCES

VA Releases Second Edition of Clinical Guide for Iraqi Freedom Veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, has released the second edition of a CD for professionals who are involved in the assessment and treatment of veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom. The "Iraq War Clinician Guide" will help medical professionals, social workers, and service providers understand the special needs of Iraq War veterans. To review or download the guide, go to http://www.ncptsd.org/war/guide/index.html.

Article Describes Housing First approach to Help Families Affected by Substance Abuse

A new article describes how to use a housing first approach with families affected by substance abuse. The most recent issue of "The Source," a publication of the Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center, describes the essential components of housing first and discusses some of the outcomes and sources of funding. The Housing First methodology emphasizes moving homeless families into permanent and affordable housing immediately, and then providing supportive services after they have been relocated. The article highlights the Beyond Shelter program in Los Angeles, which has used a housing first approach for the last 15 years. A copy of the newsletter can be found at http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~aiarc/media/pdf/source_vol13_no1.pdf.

Registration Open for National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness

On October 14-15, the National Alliance to End Homelessness will hold a national conference on ending family homelessness in Los Angeles, CA. The conference will include workshops on facilitating family preservation and reunification, responding to families who include a parent with a substance abuse disorder, improving services to domestic violence survivors and more. For program and registration information, go to http://www.endhomelessness.org/conf2004/index.html.

VA and NCHV Offer Workshops on Resource Development, Funding Proposals

The Department of Veterans Affairs and National Coalition for Homeless Veterans are offering a training program designed for emerging and existing community and faith-based homeless service organizations that want to expand their programs to better serve homeless veterans. The goal of the workshop is to give participants information on the basic components of resource development plans, how to develop a competitive funding proposal, and an introduction to veteran-specific resources and how to access them. For more information on locations and registration, click here.