Education Committee

January, 2006

The Colorado Interagency Council on Homelessness was created on October 28, 2003 through Executive Order of Governor Bill Owens to serve as an advisory body to the Governor on housing needs and homeless issues. The council is co-chaired by Marva Livingston Hammons, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services, and Mike Beasley, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Members of the council include: government and elected officials, foundations, non-profit housing and homeless providers, business representatives, and representatives from Colorado State Departments that serve homeless populations. Council meetings for 2006 are scheduled as follows:
-Wednesday, March 8: 10 am -12 pm - Dept. of Local Affairs Chair
-Wednesday, June 7: 2 pm - 4 pm - Dept. of Human Services Chair
-Wednesday, Sep 13: 10 am - 12 pm - Dept. of Local Affairs Chair
-Wednesday, Dec 13: 10 am - 12 pm - Dept. of Human Services Chair

Don't forget to register for the 19th Annual CCH Conference, May 17, 2006
While you’re thinking about the CCH conference consider recognizing your colleagues by nominating them for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless “Creating Lasting Solutions Award”. This award acknowledges individuals and organizations that have set the standard for excellence in serving and advocating for Colorado’s homeless. Award categories include: Outstanding Volunteer Award, Homeless Program of the Year Award, Media Service Award, Community Spirit Award, Michael Gilbert Outstanding Achievement Award, Mitch Snyder Memorial Advocacy Award, and the Father Ed Judy Memorial Award for Faith-Based organizations. A nomination form is attached to this newsletter. Contact Toni Lewis for more information at 303-285-5233 or by fax 303-296-1460.

Watch for more information on the conference in the mail or visit the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless website at www.coloradocoalition.org.

Homeless SuperNOFA
The HUD SuperNOFA will be published in the Federal Register soon. This notice announces funding for the majority of HUD programs. Click on the following links to learn more about Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities, and Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance. The Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance section of the HUD SuperNOFA gives details on application procedures. Go to http://www.hud.gov/grants/index.cfm or to www.grants.gov for more information about HUD grants.

COMMITTEE UPDATES
CICH has the following standing committees:
Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Health & Integrated Treatment Committee (MSHI)
Committee Chair: Chris Roe (interim) (christopher.roe@state.co.us)

Housing Development Committee
Committee Chair: Lynn Shine (lynn.shine@state.co.us)

Benefits Acquisition Committee
Committee Chair: Don Ketcham (Don.Ketcham@ssa.gov)

Homeless Families with Children & Unaccompanied Youth Committee
Committee Chair: Finessa Ferrell (finessa.ferrell@state.co.us)

Discharge Planning Committee
Committee Chair: Christine Highnam (christine.highnam@state.co.us)

Education Committee
Committee co-Chairs: Lynn Shine (lynn.shine@state.co.us) and Chris Roe (Christopher.roe@state.co.us)

We are always looking for dedicated interested people for our committees. Contact the committee chairs if you are interested in attending learning more about a committee or want to attend a committee meeting.

The following is a an update for the committees that have been active in the past two months:

Benefits Acquisition Committee
The Benefits Acquisition Committee continued to pursue training initiatives for service providers who work with clientele potentially entitled to Social Security/SSI benefits including:

-Facilitating an agreement between the Social Security Lakewood office and the Jefferson Center for Mental Health to provide expedited service to residents of a community corrections facility piloting services to severely disabled inmates.

-Social Security, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and the Colorado Disability Determination Services have joined forces to provide mentoring assistance to the Larimer Center for Mental Health as they assist their clients in the disability application process

-Partnering with Colorado Access to train case managers and medical professionals in their network on assisting clients with Social Security applications, including developing medical evidence in support of those applications.

-Partnering with the Denver Crime Prevention and Control Commission to improve access to benefits for inmates being discharged from Denver correctional facilities.

-Developing a partnership with Denver Department of Human Services and Denver Health to improve access to Social Security benefits to Social Services clients (TANF)

-Meeting with Metro Denver Professional Case Manager Network, network of over 40 provider organizations to explore a training approach to helping agencies better navigate the Social Security disability process on behalf of their clients.

In addition, the Benefits Team has facilitated a resource search with the Denver Rescue Mission to staff their dental services facility and is providing endorsement for a promising grant opportunity.

Committee Chair: Don Ketcham (Don.Ketcham@ssa.gov)
Date/Time: TBA
Location: TBA

Discharge Committee
The focus of the Committee continues to be on discharge from jails and prisons. In December, the group received a presentation on the Prisoner Reintegration Project, a four-year grant from the Department of Labor that is intended to provide comprehensive services to inmates leaving a state or federal prison. At this month's meeting, we will hear about the OSMI Project, a Department of Corrections funded effort working with parolees.

Committee Chair: Christine Highnam (christine.highnam@state.co.us)
Date/Time: January 27, 2006, 3-5 p.m.
Location: Supportive Housing and Homeless Programs, 4020 S. Lowell Blvd.

Homeless Families and Unaccompanied Youth Committee
In the coming months, the Committee on Homeless Families and Unaccompanied Youth will be working on the new state plan to address family and youth homelessness. The four-point strategic plan includes rapid re-housing strategies, family one-stop centers for seamless service delivery, comprehensive data collection and analysis and the incorporation of the family homelessness plan into a statewide plan to end homelessness. Meetings are monthly and held at Mile High United Way. The February meeting will focus on the family one-stop concept.

Committee Chair: Finessa Ferrell (finessa.Ferrell@state.co.us)
Date/Time: February 17, 3:00 - 4:30
Location: Room TBA

Housing Development Committee
The Housing Committee has created an improved Homeless Count implementation model which identifies the need for a Statewide Homeless Count Logistics coordinator. The state will be divided into nine geographic regions for purposes of the count and will result in a better overall process. Plans are moving ahead full steam, with the first count set for the week of August 28, 2006 and the second count for January 2007.
Committee Chair: Lynn Shine(lynn.shine@state.co.us)
Date/Time: TBA
Location: TBA