In this issue of Homeless Network News, we present our readers with ideas and best practices around ending homelessness through Outreach and Supportive Services. We have included excerpts from the National Alliance to End Homelessness’ descriptions of two model programs: Pathways to Housing in New York City and Project H.O.M.E. in Philadelphia. These descriptions will hopefully offer new ideas and ways of solving problems. Here in Texas, the Gregg Harrison Homeless Consortium has submitted a description of their new comprehensive treatment service system (see back page). As the experts out in the field, doing the work, we are interested in your feedback. Please share with us. If you know of other model programs here in Texas, let us know who they (or you) are. Feedback and comments may be submitted to newsletter@thn.org.

In the November issue of Homeless Network News, homelessness prevention was presented as the most economically efficient way to end homelessness: it is far easier and far less expensive to keep people housed than it is to re-house them once they become homeless. Two other critical components of a Continuum of Care System, Outreach and Supportive Services, play a part in ending homelessness.

Effective Outreach and Supportive Services should be inherently linked to the mainstream system of public social support programs, but unfortunately, most of our publicly funded, mainstream programs have seen drastic funding cuts. The homeless assistance system has to be able to rely on mainstream services to prevent people from becoming homeless. Our homeless assistance system can address the immediate needs of homeless persons, but it does not have the resources to keep people from becoming homeless, and it cannot address their fundamental need for housing, income and services. Only the mainstream system has the resources to do this. See Richard Troxell’s article on page 8 for some ideas on creating a universal living wage.

What is a Continuum of Care? Click here to find out.