The 2023 Point-in-Time Count has officially begun!
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** Homeless Prevention & Response System
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Weekly Digest
In photo: Radhika Krishna, ADP Executive Director, Mac Lyons, ACEH Coordinated Entry Manager, & Ray Gilkie, ADP Saftey Ambassador.
** The 2023 Point-in-Time Count has officially begun!
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Early yesterday morning, staff from the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness led outreach teams from partner agencies into the fog for the first day of the 2023 Point-in-Time Count (or PIT Count). The count continued today and will go through tomorrow as outreach teams interview our neighbors living outside, in vehicles, or in other places not meant for human habitation. If individuals decline to share information, they are counted as an "observational count" in order to record accurate numbers. During the PIT Count outreach must systematically scour Anchorage looking for camps and those living in unsheltered homelessness. People they meet are offered outreach kits with snacks, hand warmers, and other essentials.
The data collected from this count assists in measuring the extent of homelessness within Alaska and is later used to advocate for federal and state funding to assist Alaska’s homeless.
A huge thank you to Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Covenant House, RurAL CAP, & SALA for participating in the 2023 PIT Count. We appreciate these amazing teams!
Volunteers assembling outreach bags for the PIT Count.
Learn More About the PIT Count ([link removed])
ACEH News & Updates
** Updated Gap Analysis Released 01/26/2023
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MEASURING NEED ACROSS THE SYSTEM
The Gap Analysis uses a rigorous data model to quantify the scale of estimated need (demand) for housing and services, understand the current capacity of the system to meet those needs, and then identify areas for improvement (gaps) in the Homeless Prevention and Response System. The Advisory Council’s goal is to establish a complete and comprehensive system of care; addressing and resolving programmatic and systemic gaps in service will help achieve this goal.
Gaps = Demand - Capacity
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Download Gap Analysis ([link removed])
** Bean's Cafe Tour
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The Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness team recently got to tour Bean's Cafe's new food preparation facility. Thank you to our amazing partner; we are excited to see you now even better equipped to carry on such an essential mission.
Local Housing & Homelessness Highlights
Alaska Behavioral Health
** Save the Date: Alaska Advanced Trauma Training Institute
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The 10th Alaska Advanced Trauma Training Institute will be June 1 & 2 in Anchorage.
Alaska Behavioral Health will have two of the developers of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy joining this year's conference: Dr. Judith Cohen and Dr. Tony Mannarino.
Registration will open in April.
More Details ([link removed])
Forget-Me-Not Manor (FMNM)
** Final Outcomes Report & Five Year Data Summary
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This report summarizes fi ve years of data collection on two distinct phases of tenants at Juneau’s Forget-Me-Not Manor (FMNM), a housing first facility in Juneau, Alaska.
Some Report Findings:
Hope to restore the passions or interests they once had.
Tenants discussed establishing new hobbies or getting back into things they used to enjoy. Many described going for hikes, sitting on the beach, doing art, or growing things in the garden as activities that have brought them pleasure since moving in. One resident excitedly described an adventure she had always wanted to experience, stating:
"I actually got a Christmas present where we - it was a whale watching tour coming up this spring for a friend and I." - FMNM Tenant
Hope to get and stay well.
Participants described the greatest degree of hope about their health. For many, they had been unable to adequately manage their health conditions while living on the street. Most are on long-term medications, and most reported not taking, or irregularly taking their daily medication while experiencing homelessness. Since FMNM, and especially with the support of staff who assist with medication management and reminders, participants report a much higher degree of hope for a healthier future. For example, one stated:
"When I fi rst moved into this building, I had found out that I had congestive heart failure and my heart was only working [with an ejection fraction] in the teens. Now, it’s a couple of years ago I found out I’m at 55 percent and that makes me feel empowered. Like very proud and happy that I did that. I mean I had to make the step of taking those meds every day, but the building had helped me get to those appointments and keep up with them and keep going from a day to day basis. But for me, I felt very empowered because I was able to – I was on my way out." - FMNM Tenant
View Report ([link removed])
National Housing & Homelessness Highlights
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
** Hud Announces New Resources for Advancing Housing Protections for Survivors of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking
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New Website, Technical Assistance and Enforcement Guidance Strengthen Protections for Survivors Applying for and Living in HUD-Assisted Properties
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced new resources to advance housing protections for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). These resources include a new VAWA website ([link removed]) , a Notice ([link removed]) setting out HUD’s enforcement authority under VAWA, and up to $5 million in funding ([link removed]) to provide VAWA training and technical assistance to HUD grantees and other stakeholders.
“No one should have to choose between maintaining housed and staying safe. The Violence Against Women Act makes clear that survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking cannot be denied housing and are eligible for an emergency transfer should the need arise,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “We are making these protections clear on HUD’s website, so landlords are aware of our requirements and survivors know their rights.” Continue reading... ([link removed])
Read Full Press Release ([link removed])
National Alliance to End Homelessness
** New Report Examines Housing Outcomes for Older Adults
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A new report ([link removed]) from the Alliance’s Homelessness Research Institute examines how factors like race, ethnicity, gender, age, and shelter status impact older adults’ exits from homelessness into housing.
Key findings include:
* Older adults disproportionately find permanent housing solutions outside of homelessness systems, and they may be facing barriers to receiving the help they need.
* Despite their increased needs, older adults are more likely to be connected to Rapid Re-Housing than more intensive permanent supportive housing solutions.
* Whether or not an older adult was sheltered had a clear impact on the type of housing intervention through which they exited homelessness.
* Older Black adults continue to face inequities in housing placements, and receive a disproportionately smaller share of RRH or PSH connections.
* Most older adults experiencing homelessness were men, but women received a disproportionately higher level of permanent supportive housing services.
Read More ([link removed])
National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
** Homelessness and Housing First
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** Biden Administration Helps End Homelessness for More Than 140,000 People Using Housing First Approach
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HUD, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on January 26 that more than 140,000 people experiencing homelessness have been permanently housed using the Housing First approach, an evidence-based strategy that quickly connects people to homes and helps them access voluntary services, such as substance use treatment, peer support, and employment services.
Read More ([link removed])
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ACEH Weekly Digest
Please reach out to **
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected]?subject=ACEH%20Weekly%20Digest)
if you have questions, suggestions, or resources you would like to share in the weekly digest.
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