January 2017
Advocacy Update Diversion & Youth Report 

A letter from Lisa Tepper Bates

Hello friends, 
 
Happy New Year!  I hope that you each got some well deserved rest and time with friends and family over the holidays.
 
Starting this New Year, we have much to be proud of, including our work together to end chronic homelessness!  We are proving that -  working one population at a time, crafting strategies to meet specific needs -  we can end homelessness.  Our successes prove that state and federal investments are helping the most vulnerable, and moving us toward the goal.
 
We are gearing up for a challenging legislative season.  But with the momentum that we have built puts us in the strongest possible position to defend the resources you need to do your work. Please stay tuned for updates to learn what you can do in your community and in Hartford to help with advocacy. 
 
Thank you for all that you do, every day.

Sincerely ,
  
Lisa Tepper Bates
Executive Director

Advocacy
Connecticut's 2017 Legislative Session Update
Defend Homeless Resources

The state legislature will convene this month to begin negotiations on a new two-year budget.  CCEH will be working together with you and the Partnership for Strong Communities to highlight the success of investments to end homelessness in your communities and across the state - arguing with your help to protect these resources serving those in most need.  The projected deficit for the next state budget has grown to almost $1.5 billion. 

We need your help to preserve funding for housing and homelessness services and supports.

Click here to read more on what you can do and important upcoming important dates! 

 Volunteer
Call to Volunteer: 
Point in Time Count & 2017 CT Youth Count! 

The 2017 CT Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is scheduled for  Tuesday, January 24th.
The PIT Count is a one-day unduplicated count of both sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families across the United States.

The Youth Count is a week long effort that corresponds with the Point-in-Time Count to count all of those experiencing homelessness in Connecticut that focuses specifically on youth and young adults aged 24 and below.

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. 

Register here  to volunteer or contact Sarah Chess at schess@cceh.org
for the Youth Count or  Jackie Janosko at  jjanosko@cceh.org  for the Point-in-Time Count. 

Governor Malloy Roundtable on Youth Homelessness

On December 21st, Governor Dannel Malloy was joined by CT Department of Housing Commissioner Evonne Klein, State Department of Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell, and CCEH Executive Director Lisa Tepper Bates to discuss efforts to end youth homelessness in Connecticut. 

Connecticut has committed to ending youth homelessness by 2020. "We know that with smart investments and providing needed services we can accomplish this goal," Governor Malloy said. The roundtable, which took place in Meriden's Maloney High School, discussed a free toolkit to raise awareness among high school students on the rights of homeless and unstably housed youth and young adults. 

To read more about their discussion and the new toolkit on engaging schools in the effort to end youth homelessness, click here
Upcoming Trainings and Events:
  
Diversion Training SeriesUpcoming
Friday, January 6
Windham, CT 
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Tuesday, January 17
Middletown, CT 
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM


Queering Care:
Serving LGBTQ Homeless & Unstably Housed Youth
Wednesday, January 11th
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Connecticut Young Adult Services Webinar
Friday, February 9th
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
To learn more, please click  here  or  c ontact Training & Communications Coordinator Sarah Chess at  schess@cceh.org  f or more information. 

Art Exhibition:
OPEN HOUSE: Hartford and HOME

The OPEN HOUSE - Hartford is an Interactive, Site-Specific Installation on the Meaning of Home and the Tragedy of Homelessness. Visitors are invited to wander through the installation to experience the disjointed nature of the space and read a community's memories and writings about their hopes and realities of "home." 

The exhibition is open now through January 20, 2017 at the Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford, CT. 
CCEH invites family providers to sign MOU to assess be homeful funds.  behomeful2
Major Carol from Salvation Armyl, REALTOR Denise Pappas, Joy Hall from Salvation Army, REALTOR Deborah Cronin & Liz Bullard from Salvation Army
 
Thanks to all the wonderful family providers who welcomed our friends CT REALTORS and helped distribute those adorable Paddingtons to the children this holiday season!

If your agency hasn't yet signed the MOU and is interested in learning about the resources available in your area please contact Katie Kenney at kkenney@cceh.org. And if you know anybody interested in holding a bear-raiser please have them contact AnnaDea Diotalevi at adiotalevi@cceh.org as we still have about 100 bears left to raise!

Shelter diversion is an essential component to our coordinated access system as cost-effective, lightest touch strategy to work at the shelter door to end someone's homelessness. The coordinated access regions across the state have been working hard to incorporate shelter diversion and here are some of the results, alongside news and updates, in January's diversion report. 
YouthR
Youth Engagement Report

Communities across Connecticut are kicking off Youth Engagement Team Initiatives, or YETIs, in preparation for the 2017 Youth Count and to develop, implement, and evaluate a coordinated community plan to end youth homelessness by 2020. The Youth Engagement Report is intended to share relevant news and information to those participating in youth related efforts. Click here for the January 2017 Edition.
CCEH Data Updates
 
If you haven't subscribed to the CCEH data newsletter, you are missing out on a monthly dose of everything data-related that is coming from CCEH! You can  click here to sign up , and never miss out on exciting data related releases like the Coordinated Entry Reports , Regional  PIT Reports , or the upcoming supplemental youth count data report.