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Massachusetts’ Efforts to End Family Homelessness

Linda B. Fosburg, Ph.D., Executive DirectorMA Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness

National Alliance to End Homelessness Annual ConferenceWashington DC

July 17, 2006

Commonwealth of MassachusettsInteragency Council on Housing and Homelessness

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Executive Commission on Homeless Services Coordination, created in accordance with Governor’s Executive Order

Executive Commission ParticipantsSecretaries of:

Executive Office of Health and Human ServicesExecutive Office of Administrative and FinanceExecutive Office of Elder Affairs

Commissioners of: Department of CorrectionsDepartment of EducationDepartment of Housing and Community DevelopmentDepartment of Mental HealthDepartment of Mental RetardationDepartment of Public HealthDepartment of Social ServicesDepartment of Transitional AssistanceDepartment of Veterans ServicesMassachusetts Rehabilitation CommissionOffice of Child Care Services

Commonwealth of MassachusettsInteragency Council on Housing and Homelessness

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• Executive Commission Consensus Reached on Five Major Themes– Increase affordable housing for those with very low income;– Focus on more prevention;– Better coordinate services to the homeless population;– Improve data collection, coordination, and reporting; and– Establish a Massachusetts Interagency Council on Housing and

Homelessness

• Created MA ICHH to address:– Primary goal of ending homelessness and no longer just

managing it.– Issues raised by the Executive Commission and track progress

on leading indicators of resolving those issues.– Issues raised by the federally sponsored Policy Academies on

both the chronic homeless and family homeless issues.

Commonwealth of MassachusettsInteragency Council on Housing and Homelessness

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Current Initiatives

1. Department of Housing and Community Development• Local Housing Authority Transitional Assistance Program• Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT)• Pilot Voucher Program

2. Department of Social Services• Capacity of Domestic Violence Shelter Program• Temporary shelter availability

3. Department of Education

Commonwealth of MassachusettsInteragency Council on Housing and Homelessness

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Future Initiatives

1. Regional Policy Academies with Stakeholders throughout MA

2. Additional Initiatives with the Department of Housing and Community Development• More voucher pilots• SAPHIRE

3. Additional Initiatives with the Department of Social Services

Commonwealth of MassachusettsInteragency Council on Housing and Homelessness