posted Jan 25, 2012 1:19 PM by J. Aric
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updated Jan 25, 2012 1:20 PM
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ScienceDaily (Jan. 19, 2012) — A study of a controversial housing project that allows chronically homeless people with severe alcohol problems to drink in their apartments found that during their first two years in the building residents cut their heavy drinking by 35 percent. For every three months during the study, participants drank an average of 8 percent fewer drinks on their heaviest drinking days. They also had fewer instances of delirium tremens, a life-threatening form of alcohol withdrawal. The American Journal of Public Health published the findings Jan. 19. Housing for chronically homeless people usually comes with many conditions, including abstinence from drugs and alcohol and compliance with psychiatric and substance abuse treatment. But such requirements can become barriers to staying in housing. "These individuals have multiple medical, psychiatric and substance abuse problems, and housing that requires them to give up their belongings, adhere to curfews, stop drinking and commit to treatment all at once is setting them up to fail. The result is that we are relegating some of the most vulnerable people in our community to a life on the streets," said Susan Collins, lead author and UW research assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.
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posted Jan 25, 2012 1:13 PM by J. Aric
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updated Jan 25, 2012 1:21 PM
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By Jeff Black, msnbc.com The number of homeless female military veterans more than doubled from 2006 to 2010, according to new government estimates. Acknowledging "limited VA data," homeless female vets numbered 3,328 in 2010, according to a report by the General Accounting Office published on Monday, up from 1,380 in 2006. The report says actions are necessary to ensure homeless female veterans get the housing and services they need. The GAO says a lack of coordination among the Veteran’s Administration and Housing and Urban Development, two government agencies that provide housing and services to homeless veterans, is hampering efforts to help these. Full Article |
posted Jan 5, 2012 10:39 AM by J. Aric
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updated Jan 9, 2012 9:55 AM
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The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count provides an annual count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons. Teams of volunteers will be canvassing Travis County to count homeless men, women and children on the streets, under highway bridges and in camps. This count is a vital component in assessing the well being of Austin area’s homeless population and in securing the greatest level of funding the federal government will allot Travis County’s homeless service providers.
Register Now Teams generally consist of at least three members. Volunteers observe and count homeless individuals from their cars within a defined area of Austin or Travis County. We will have 2 shifts (volunteers will choose 1) on January 22nd. ECHO will provide training and assign volunteers to areas they know well if possible. All teams will receive a map, with grid, to follow as well as a clipboard, pencils, highlighter, and all necessary forms. - Shift 1: 3 – 7 p.m.
- Shift 2: 5 – 9 p.m.
Training Opportunities: - Team Leader Training: January 11th from 6 - 7:30 at St. Martin's Lutheran Church, 606 West 15th Street
- Volunteer Training: January 18th from 6 - 8 p.m. at St. Martin's Lutheran Church, 606 West 15th Street
- Volunteer Training: January 22nd from 1 - 3 p.m. (prior to the count) Location: 2012 Count Headquarters - UT School of Social Work - 1925 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, Texas 78712
Data Entry Volunteers Needed Register Now Training for data entry volunteers will occur at the beginning of your volunteer shift: - Jan. 7th from noon – 3 p.m. at Austin Travis County Integral Care, 1430 Collier
- Jan. 11th from 5:30 – 8:30 at Austin Travis County Integral Care, 1430 Collier
- Jan. 14th from noon – 3 p.m. at Austin Travis County Integral Care, 1430 Collier
- Jan. 18th from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Austin Travis County Integral Care, 1430 Collier
- Jan. 25th from 5:30 – 8:30 at Austin Travis County Integral Care, 1430 Collier
- Jan. 28th from noon – 3 p.m. at Austin Travis County Integral Care, 1430 Collier
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posted Dec 1, 2011 8:42 AM by J. Aric
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updated Dec 1, 2011 8:43 AM
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Please help us enter data from the 100 Homes Campaign & the Homeless Resource Fair into our Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)! I've set up an account to collect registrations for this event at Austin Travis County Integral Care, 1430 Collier Street. The dates and times available are listed below (you may sign up for single sessions). Up to 10 data entry volunteers can sign up for each session. Please consider helping out if you can this holiday season! Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. - November 30th
- December 7th
- December 14th
Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. - December 3rd
- December 10th
- December 17th
http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/192345634668482094
(HMIS experience is not needed - you should just be able to enter data into a database). If you have any HMIS related questions, please contact MJ Roberts at (512) 445-7743 or Richard Dodson at (512) 445-7714.
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posted Nov 16, 2011 11:59 AM by J. Aric
Austin’s 100 Homes Campaign Registry Week took place from November 7 – 9, 2011. Over three mornings of intensive outreach more than 80 volunteers took to the city’s streets, homeless shelters, hospitals, and parks to find homeless individuals and gather information from them using a Vulnerability Index survey. The Vulnerability Index survey asks people to self-report on their histories of housing and homelessness, their state of health, where they usually sleep, what support they are able to access and who they stay with. Every individual who was surveyed consented and did not have to answer questions they did not want to. A photo was also taken (also with consent) to ensure people can be easily identified in the future as part of the effort to prioritize housing and services for the most vulnerable. The data from the Vulnerability Index survey was entered by volunteers into a database that generates reports identifying the individual’s medical vulnerabilities and barriers to housing. Volunteers completed 289 surveys. Check out Registry Week in the news in our Media Resource Center! |
posted Nov 3, 2011 10:44 AM by J. Aric
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updated Nov 3, 2011 10:46 AM
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On October 20, 2011, City Council adopted a resolution supporting ECHO's 100 Homes Campaign and directed the City Manager to support the campaign by providing resources to ECHO to ensure the successful execution of the registry, housing, and community awareness goals of the 100 Homes Campaign. The resolution is attached. |
posted Nov 3, 2011 10:41 AM by J. Aric
On October 25, 2011 the Travis County Commissioners Court signed a resolution supporting ECHO's 100 Homes Campaign. The resolution is attached. |
posted Oct 18, 2011 2:38 PM by J. Aric
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updated Oct 18, 2011 2:40 PM
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Individual Representative
Tim Bailey, UT School of Social Work
Affiliate Representatives
Betsy Spencer, NHCD As a funder of affordable and supportive housing developments and other services designed to promote self-sufficiency, NHCD is an active participant in the community’s goal to end homelessness. NHCD values collaboration between local and regional partners to achieve its objectives of creating and preserving affordable housing in Austin, and the Membership Council is a valuable mechanism for ECHO members to share information, promote an action agenda and gain consensus on policy and system issues focused on ending homelessness.
Community Engagement: • City of Austin Department Directors Roundtable • City of Austin Sustainability Leadership Group • Texas Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies • CAN Housing Stakeholders Group
Lisa Garcia, HACA (statement will be on ballots)
Provider Representatives (2 will be chosen)
Angela Atwood Executive Director, Family Eldercare I have been an active member with ECHO (formerly the Homeless Task Force) since 1996. I have participated in many activities (planning and evaluation, survey/count, and COC application) and served as the Chair of the HTF 2001-2003. I currently serve as the Chair of the Planning & Evaluation Committee. As a members of the Membership Council I would hope to a) continue to help ECHO’s Community Plan/Action Plan; b) assist with ongoing planning activities; c) support ECHO’s continued transition to a new structure. Community Engagement: Aging Services Council of Central TX (Co-Chair), One Voice Central Texas, BNC/Best Single Source Partners, HB 216 Stakeholders Group
Mitchell Gibbs Director of Communication & Development, Front Steps As a communications professional and in my role as Director of Communication and Development with Front Steps, manager of the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, I bring an experienced advocate voice to the table in our combined efforts to eradicate homelessness. So much of our efforts depend on effective communication within our community to create strategies which build upon our collective strengths. ECHO will set the pace for these communications and strategy efforts and I would very much like to be a part of that process. Community Engagement: Austin Association of Fundraising Professionals, Texas Forward, One Voice Central Texas, Downtown Cluster of Congregations, Downtown Austin Alliance
Susan McDowell Executive Director, LifeWorks LifeWorks is a significant provider of services to the homeless population, particularly, youth and young adults. The experience of myself and the organization will contribute to the direction and development of the Council. Additionally, as ECHO continues its evolution as an independent organization, I believe I can help in its efforts to build capacity. Community Engagement: Children’s Optimal Health Collaborative, One Voice Central Texas
Julia Spann Executive Director, SafePlace I care about homelessness and working towards ending it in our community. I think we need to continue to harness our advocacy, leadership, persuasive abilities to engage the whole community in ways build more support for services for people who are homeless. I was involved in the committee that set up the structure of ECHO, assisted in board recruitment, and of have made sure that SafePlace remains at the table, involved, and actively participating in all aspects of ECHO, including the Membership Council. Community Engagement: Currently BSS, One Voice, Model Court Collaborative, and Women’s Fund. I’ve had leadership and membership roles in BNC, One Voice (and AAHSA before it), DAA, United Way Partners Council (now defunct) and TCFV in the past.
Vice-Chair Candidates:
Greg Gibson, ATCIC I am submitting this application for the Membership Council Vice-Chair. My participation on more than a dozen local community planning and workgroups, several state-wide organizations, state-agency planning councils, and as a consultant to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration demonstrate my experience and capability to provide leadership, affect systems change and to create positive outcomes for our clients. My exposure to this variety of stakeholders, information and experience is what I bring to the table. I believe in an integrated continuum of care and I hope that together, we can accomplish our vision, ending homelessness in our community. Community Engagement: I attend many of the ECHO meetings and with local groups such as the Leadership Committee on PSH Finance (representing Integral Care), the Policy Reform Committee of the Austin Travis County ReEntry Round Table (Chair), Imagine Austin, One Voice, Basic Needs Coalition, City of Austin Boarding Home Task Force, and the City of Austin Boarding Home Stakeholders Group and the CHDO Roundtable. Additionally, I attend several State-level groups such as the DSHS Mental Health Planning and Advisory Council (member representing families of consumers), U.S. Veterans Initiative-Texas (Advisory Board Member) and the Texas Recovery Institute Recovery Oriented System of Care – Austin meetings.
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posted Sep 16, 2011 8:38 AM by J. Aric
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updated Sep 16, 2011 8:45 AM
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The Membership Council of ECHO is charged with serving as a liaison between the ECHO Board and the ECHO Membership. The Membership Council oversees and provides coordination for the homeless planning, housing, and events activities and works with the Board to address policy, communication, and funding issues. The Membership Council consists of the following, all of whom are elected by the voting members at the annual ECHO membership meeting: Vice-Chair, two service provider members, two affiliate members, two individuals, and the Chairs of the Work Groups (currently: Data, Community Education & Events, COC, and Housing). Deadline: October 14th A summary of the nominees will be circulated prior to the membership meeting and a ballot will be provided for members to vote on at the meeting. Term: The term for each position is one year (Bylaws 6.2) and the group will meet monthly. Please send your completed application to Jessie Aric at Jessie@austinecho.org
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posted Sep 15, 2011 2:05 PM by J. Aric
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updated Sep 16, 2011 8:43 AM
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The Annual Meeting is scheduled for October 19th from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Neighborhood Housing & Community Development. At this meeting ECHO’s general membership will announce their 2011 achievements and plans for 2012 and the voting members will elect the Membership Council for 2012. Annual Meeting Location Neighborhood Housing & Community Development Street-Jones Building 1000 E 11th St. – 4th Floor Conference Room Austin, TX 78702-1945 Phone: (512) 974-3863 *Parking is available in the lot behind the Street-Jones Building. The entrance is on 11th Street on the east side of Zanduga Mexican Bistro. Take the elevator to the 4th floor. Map to NHCD
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