Texas Homeless Network recently agreed to author a report that describes current issues of homelessness in Texas and summarizes homeless service providersÕ recommendations for statewide policies. The report will be based upon feedback that will be gathered from THN member agencies and coalitions in the coming weeks.

Texas Interagency Council for Services for the Homeless (TICSH) and THN agreed that the need for such a report was crucial, as a publication of this nature has not been produced since TICSHÕs "Beyond the Gray Zone," which was published in 1991.

"Sadly, the issues havenÕt changed in ten years," said THN Executive Director Kathy Reid, "and the need for homeless services has increased."

The new report will be distributed across the stateÑand most importantly, to Texas legislatorsÑmuch like "Beyond the Gray Zone." The effort will be sponsored by TICSH, and production of the content will be facilitated by THN. It is expected to be completed by the end of the summer of 2001.

In the coming weeks, THN will be contacting member agencies and coalitions to participate in a survey that will address the following issues:

- emergency shelter
- affordable housing
- transitional housing
- homeless prevention
- domestic violence
- mental illness
- substance abuse
- homeless youth
- health care
- dental care
- legal aid

For each community, experts in each homeless issue will be asked to answer the following questions:

1. What resources are available in your community?
2. What are your community's current needs?
3. How might the cost of addressing this need be minimized?
4. What restrictions or barriers prevent homeless persons from accessing available programs in your community?
5. What do you project for your community's future needs?