The following training opportunities are offered by Texas Homeless Network.
Member organizations may request a training from the menu below and THN staff with conduct the training in their communities. Please contact Ken Martin at ken@thn.org to request a training.
Every year THN introduces several different trainings to assist Service Providers, Schools, Communities, and other groups who help the homeless. Please stay tuned to the THN website for the most recent additions to the training menu.

Texas Homeless Network Menu of Trainings:

The Legal Rights of Homeless, Foster,
and Other Highly Mobile Children and Youth;
The McKinney - Vento Act and Beyond

Case Management for Continuum of Care Projects
This intensive two-day training is intended for case managers and frontline staff of agencies currently managing a HUD SHP program. The workshop will be interactive, involving small and large group exercises.


Topics to be covered in this two-day course are:

• Reviewing Technical Submission
• Defining Case Management
• Building a Case File
• Documentation of Homelessness
• Disability Documentation
• Supportive Services
• Intake/Assessment
• Developing Service Plans

Keep Homeless Children in School: Training for Advocates - 2007

This half day training will provide an overview of the laws concerning the education of homeless youth. Learn how to protect the rights of homeless children to register for school and get an education under the federal McKinney-Vento Act. Training appropriate for shleter staff, case workers, school couselors, school administrators, homeless liaisons, and housing advocates.

Topics include:

• Local Educational Liaisons
• Enrollment and the school of origin provision
• Title I set-asides and Homeless Students
• Accessing mainstream resources

Intro to Continuum of Care Planning (half day)

This half day workshop will provide an overview of the Continuum of Care planning process and the specifics of how to build a goal-oriented, community-wide homeless coalition. Appropriate for new staff and anyone involved in implementing Continuum of Care programs but not directly involved in the planning process

Advanced Continuum of Care Training (half day)

This half day workshop will include changes and updates to the Continuum of Care process, strategies to improve the current methods used for homeless counts, and implementing successful strategies to meet identified gaps in housing and services. Appropriate for anyone that is knowledgeable and involved in an existing a continuum of care process but needs assistance to implement and improve the planning process.

Project Development Intensive (full day)

This one-day, interactive workshop will give an in depth view of the development of the Supportive Housing Program, Shelter Plus Care, and the Section 8 Mod Rehab Single Room Occupancy Programs for Continuum of Care funding. Appropriate for upper management, Continuum of Care grant writers, housing directors, development directors, anyone currently implementing a HUD funded program, and anyone assisting in writing the Continuum of Care grant.

 Logic Model Workshop (full day)

This full day workshop is designed to cover an overview of Logic models, a discussion of why HUD is requiring a logic model the benefits of developing and implementing logic models, and how to prepare a HUD logic model. Appropriate for the people that will be writing the grant. It is most relevant to Development Directors and senior staff responsible for implementing the programs and setting the performance measures. 

Balance of State Regional Meetings

The Texas Homeless Network is hosting monthly meetings in each of the areas targeted for Balance of State planning. The topics covered in each region vary according to the needs of the local communities. The upcoming meetings are open to anyone interested.

***Balance of State Homeless Count will be held on January 25, 2007

 McKinney-Vento Education Training

This full day training will provide an overview of the laws concerning the education of homeless youth. Learn how to protect the rights of homeless children to register for school and get an education under the federal McKinney-Vento Act. Training appropriate for shelter staff, case workers, school counselors, school administrators, homeless liaisons, and housing advocates.

The Texas Homeless Network (THN) has been providing free training and technical assistance to homeless service providers and community leaders throughout Texas for nearly 20 years. THN believes that training and technical assistance directed at creating and strengthening community partnerships is the most effective way to fight homelessness.

The elements of the Continuum of Care model provide a framework for our trainings. THN encourages every community in Texas to develop comprehensive plans to prevent and eliminate homelessness and works to encourage partnerships in all Texas communities to ultimately increase funding to distressed communities and provide support to serve more people in need. 

Three Tiered Approach to Training

The Texas Homeless Network training and technical assistance program follows a three-tiered approach designed to assist communities with varying levels of experience and need. These tiers provide increasingly intense levels of technical assistance, and address increasingly complex issues:

Tier One:      Regional Training provided to communities on various topics, including the HUD Continuum of Care, the Continuum of Care planning process and specific aspects of project development and implementation, Annual Progress Reporting, logic models and performance measurement, Discharge Planning, and effective grant administration. These trainings are planned in advance and are intended for participants from many different communities.

Tier Two:     Community On-site Technical Assistance provided to individual communities and coalitions to assist with some of the more difficult aspects of planning, including developing collaborations, conducting a homeless survey or gaps analysis and developing priorities for funding. These trainings are scheduled as needed, when requested by the community or by a HUD field office.

Tier Three:    Agency On-Site Technical Assistance is often provided to new HUD grantees and to organizations requesting assistance in administering their program effectively. Training and implementation assistance is customized to help recipients meet HUD reporting requirements, verify client eligibility, secure matching funds, secure property, and acquire or construct property.

If you are interested in requesting a workshop or training in your community,
please call Ken Martin at 512.482.8270.