The Child Welfare and Supportive Housing Resource Center brought together participants from five place-based initiative sites to discuss the progress of their new efforts. The pilots are attempting to better assist child welfare involved families through an intensive approach that combines supportive housing and human services in an effort to keep families together.
The five grantee sites are:
Housing, Empowerment, Achievement, Recovery, Triumph – Broward County, Florida
Partners United for Supportive Housing in Cedar Rapids – Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Memphis Strong Families – Memphis, Tennessee
Families Moving Forward – San Francisco, California
Intensive Supportive Housing for Families – State of Connecticut
The three day gathering in Washington allowed the grantees to examine some of their early challenges and barriers and to exchange strategies and challenges within the five locations. Among the presenters were Commissioner Rafael Lopez, ACYF, researchers from the Urban Institute, lead contacts from the projects and Capitol Hill staff.
The models being tested attempts to bring together supportive housing with on-site case management and a comprehensive array of services for families experiencing repeated homelessness, substance abuse and mental health problems, along with child welfare involvement. Each site includes a number of local partners such as state and local government agencies, the non-profit community, charities or foundations and key universities or other research or partners. Between the five sites at least 500 families will be assited.
The Administration for Children, Youth and Families is the lead federal agency.
