June 2016

   

A letter from Lisa Tepper Bates

Hello friends, 
 
Springtime brought us much to celebrate. 
 
The 2016 Point-in-Time Count shows continued, impressive results -- attesting to incredible progress to end homelessness in Connecticut, through your good works.  The 2016 CCEH Annual Training Institute was our best attended ever -- with nearly 380 attendees sharing thoughts and wisdom to advance our work.  
 
Through your fantastic efforts and collaboration, Connecticut continues to march forward in our Zero: 2016 effort to end chronic homelessness, saving lives and saving scarce public resources in the process.  We are more certain than ever that through your good work, and with the additional resources we've secured, Connecticut will be the first state in the nation to achieve this important milestone .
 
CCEH is proud to work with you, to support you in ending homelessness, and to celebrate with you the achievements we are reaching -- even as we know there is more work ahead.  Thank you for all you do, every day, for those in need. 

Best regards,

 
  • Sheltered homeless are down by 6%: 3,229 people were counted in shelters and similar facilities -  nearly a 6% drop from 2015 & a reduction of 18% since 2007.
     
  • Few veterans counted as homeless: only 45 veterans in shelters.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who participated in January to gather the data for this report! This is a tremendous team effort, and we could not do it without the army of providers and volunteers who turn out to make it possible. 

Click here to read the summary  or full report .  


V1st
Senator Blumenthal advances Veterans First Act

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, ranking member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, is promoting legislation to improve services for veterans in need, including by creating the possibility of converting veterans' transitional housing to permanent housing. This legislation is part of a larger effort to "to take some of Connecticut's success story and make them a model for the nation." 

Connecticut was the first state to end chronic veteran homelessness last year and the second state in the country to end veteran homelessness earlier this year.  

The Veterans First Act is expected to be taken up by the full Senate in June, and Blumenthal is challenging the full Congress to pass it by July 4. 

To read more about this legislation, click here

Z2016
Zero:2016 CAN-a-Palooza Energizes Effort to End Chronic Homelessness

Since January 2015, Connecticut has housed 780 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and has reduced chronic homelessness by 20%, according to data released this May-- putting CT on track to end chronic homelessness this year!

This was the message Linda Kaufman, manager of national movements from  Community Solutions , came to share with frontline staff and leaders during a three-day, five-event tour across the state known as CAN-a-Palooza.

Connecticut's Zero:2016 effort includes over two hundred organizations working in a coordinated system. It has taken a lot of hard work and innovation to create a new way to work - but the results are clear: people in need are getting housing more quickly than ever before.

Check out  this video  of Linda Kaufman speaking in Fairfield County about her experience with Housing First. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us at these events and is working tirelessly everyday to end chronic homelessness this year!

Lessons
Progressive Engagement

The core principle of Progressive Engagement is helping households end their homelessness as rapidly as possible, despite barriers, with the most effective and efficient use of resources. What distinguishes this approach, however, is the careful calibration of resources tailored to the needs of each household.

In practice, this means that each household is served at first with the lightest touch of assistance. More resources are targeted to those families or individuals who face challenges in stabilizing, and therefore need more help. 

Melanie Zamora, Director of Housing Programs at The Road Home in Salt Lake City, Utah, is one of the pioneers of Progressive Engagement. Her organization developed this practice and has been applying this strategy to families through their rapid re-housing program. She shared her experience in implementation, challenges, and outcomes in this webinar, found here

Progressive Engagement is currently considered a "promising" practice. To learn more about the theory, practice, and implementation of Progressive Engagement, click here .  
 
TrainingO
CCEH's 14th Annual Training Institute: 
Celebrating Success and Sharing New Wisdom

You can find all of our 2016 ATI workshop and presentations  downloadable on our website.

Please help us make the 2017, 15th Annual Training Institute even better! Our survey only takes two minutes to complete, but your response is invaluable to us. 

Upcoming Trainings and Events:
Diversion Training Series
Tuesday, June 21st
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Tuesday, July 19th
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Tuesday, August 16th
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday, September 20th
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Shelter Diversion is a strategy that prevents homelessness at the front door by helping clients identify immediate alternate housing arrangements and, if necessary, connecting them with services and financial assistance to help them return to permanent housing. 

Please note that the material will review the Diversion trainings from February 2016.  CCEH will be hosting this Diversion training on a monthly basis. Lunch will be provide and the cost is $20 for members and $35 for non-members.  Contact Training & Communications Coordinator Sarah Chess at  schess@cceh.org  f or more information. 

Re-Imagining Shelter Space Webinar

Tuesday, June 28, 2016 
2:00 - 3:30 PM 

This Webinar on Re-Imagining Shelter Space for Families, Youth, and the LGBTQ Community is a panel discussion on the application process and uses for capital funds available through DOH to reconfigure shelter space (more information available here.) The presenters will discuss what it means to make a shelter space more friendly for families, youth and the LGBTQ community and why it is important to improving your programs. 

All webinars are recorded and can be found on the website following the live presentation. For questions or comments regarding this webinar, please contact Sarah Chess, Training and Communications Coordinator at schess@cceh.org.

Document Ready Webinar

Tuesday, June 13, 2016 
12:30 - 2:00 PM 

One of the most time-consuming processes in housing a client can be getting them document ready. This webinar focuses on tips to expedite the process of getting the forms in order, from disability verification to housing history for chronic clients, as well as what each kind of program requires and how to lower the barriers to advocate for your client. 

All webinars are recorded and can be found on the website following the live presentation. For questions or comments regarding this webinar, please contact Sarah Chess, Training and Communications Coordinator at schess@cceh.org.

Shelter and Fair Housing for Transgender Individuals

Monday, June 20, 2016; 1:00-3:00 PM
United Way of Greater Waterbury
100 North Elm St
Waterbury, CT 06702

In partnership with HUD Connecticut, CT Fair Housing, CT TransAdvocacy and AIDS-CT, this training will instruct executive directors, project coordinators, and frontline staff on how to make housing and shelter programs safe and inclusive for transgender individuals. This training will include information about HUD guidelines, gender identity and expression, and best practices for serving LGBTQAI individuals.

For questions or comments regarding this training, please contact Sarah Chess, Training and Communications Coordinator at  schess@cceh.org .



be homeful challenge: 
$40,000 match funds available now through June 30th!

Please make sure your CAN doesn't miss out on CCEH's $40,000  be homeful  challenge! Now through the end of June, CCEH will be matching dollar-for-dollar any funds raised for local  be homeful  efforts by the CANs. For more information on the specifics of the challange, or to discuss how CCEH can support your CAN in taking advantage of this opportunity, please contact Madeline Ravich at mravich@cceh.org.

Last month's coverage on homelessness and housing related stories.












Data
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