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Florida Supportive Housing Coalition, September 2002 Newsletter
Why You Should Attend The 2002 Supportive Housing Toolkit Conference On Wednesday, October 23, the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition will present its first annual conference, the 2002 Supportive Housing Toolkit Conference at Sarasota Hyatt on the Bay in Sarasota, Florida. If the location and date sound familiar, that’s because this program is being held in conjunction with the Florida Housing Coalition’s 15th annual conference on October 21 and 22 at the same location. The 2002 Supportive Housing Toolkit Conference is a one-day practice-oriented program that will build the expertise and partnerships necessary to build opportunities for supportive housing throughout Florida. The Conference is designed for advocates, service providers, housing developers and consumers of supportive housing for people with special needs. The Keynote Address will be given by Philip Mangano, executive director of the U. S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. A self-described “homeless abolitionist,” Mr. Mangano will address the “Front Door/Back Door” approach to ending homelessness through supportive housing and linkages with mental health, substance abuse, corrections and foster care systems. Come explore case studies, including the closing of the G. Pierce Wood Hospital, homes for the developmentally disabled, and homeless initiatives. Hear from panelists who will offer concrete tools for capital projects, rent subsidies, and supportive service programs. Be a part of this historic Conference! Register today by completing the Conference Registration Form inside this newsletter. See you in Sarasota! Back to TopPromising Initiatives for Long-Term Housing Solutions: A Message From The President What makes the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition unique is its commitment to long-term housing solutions for a variety of people with special needs, as you can see from the variety of Partner Organizations whose logos appear above. So far as we know, no other coalition has brought together all of these constituencies under one umbrella. Despite the unique needs, the common thread among our constituents is very low incomes. What’s more, individuals are often impacted by multiple “special needs”—the victim of domestic violence must fight homelessness; a person with a mental illness may also be recovering from an addiction. No single model of supportive housing fulfills all needs, but rather a variety of models share a few things in common. Supportive housing is affordable housing linked with services that are individualized to residents’ needs and preferences. Ensuring enough affordable housing is the first step in long-term housing solutions. A National Housing Trust Fund would go a long way toward filling that need. The 30/30 Vision campaign initiated by the Florida Coalition for the Homeless seeks to target 30% of all affordable housing funds to households making less than 30% or their area’s median income. Other groups are focusing on ways to fund services based in community settings. The Real Choice Partnership is analyzing how Medicaid waivers can better assist people with disabilities who choose to live outside of an institution. The Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities is also looking at Medicaid to remove impediments for people with mental illnesses who desire community based services. Join us as we create long-term housing solutions in Florida! Back to TopJust over one year ago, U.S. HUD Secretary Mel Martinez made a historic announcement; the Bush Administration had set the goal of ending chronic homelessness in 10 years. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness was reactivated after a six-year hiatus, and Philip Mangano from Massachusetts, a long time advocate and self-identified “homeless abolitionist,” was chosen to oversee this commitment as the Council’s Executive Director. Now, a year later, the Council has put together $35 million which will be directed to provide permanent housing and supportive services to ending chronic homelessness. The Council will also be placing a greater emphasis on prevention and multi-agency collaboration. While director of the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, Mr. Mangano was credited with creating the Front Door/Back Door approach to preventing and ending homelessness. To help close the front door to homelessness, mental health, foster care and correctional systems can improve their discharge planning. To open the back door, long-term housing solutions must be created for the homeless. Supportive housing has been shown to be particularly effective for the hardest to serve, chronic homeless. Mr. Mangano has spoken extensively throughout the United States on the abolition of homelessness. His work at the Interagency Council is intended to further this effort. In his keynote address to the 2002 Supportive Housing Toolkit Conference, Mr. Mangano will highlight the Council’s efforts and inspire our continued efforts to provide high quality supportive housing opportunities in Florida for all people with special needs. Back to Top8:30 Registration Back to TopCoalition Gathers For First Strategic Planning Retreat Nearly 40 representatives of a broad array of housing organizations, advocacy groups, and public agencies gathered at Wakulla Springs State Park on August 2 to set a direction for the coalition for 2003 and beyond. The group came to a consensus on a supportive housing definition that includes housing and service linkages for the homeless, people with disabilities, and a variety of other special needs populations. Carol Wilkins of the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) offered her expertise on models from other states that have effectively increased supportive housing opportunities. States like Michigan, Connecticut, and California have implemented “Pipeline Committees” or interagency councils at the state or local level that plan for, coordinate, and evaluate supportive housing programs. The group settled on five priorities for advancing the organization’s mission in the next three to five years:
Supportive Housing is:
Back to TopUpcoming Events & Important Dates Sept. 20-22: NAMI Florida, with Florida Mental Health Institute, presents “Focus on the Future,” 2002 Leadership Conference & Annual Meeting, St. Pete Beach. Call 850-671-4445 or visit www.namifl.org. Back to TopCopyright © 2003, Florida Supportive Housing Coalition. All rights
reserved.
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Florida Supportive Housing Coalition 
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