The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is awarding 15 private, nonprofit agencies $1.1 million to provide in-home support services to 176 recently housed people who have experienced chronic homelessness.
The services include referrals to mental health, substance abuse, dental and medical treatment; employment services; budgeting; landlord and tenant mediation; and daily living skills.
The people served were housed with the help of vouchers and rental subsidies through the state Department of Housing and other agencies to ensure that they use no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent.
Contributing to the effort in Fairfield County are Central Connecticut Coast YMCA’s Alpha Community Services in Bridgeport, Homes With Hope and the Continuum of Care in Norwalk, St. Vincent”™s Medical Center services in Bridgeport and Norwalk, and Center for Human Development services in Danbury.
The news came as part of an announcement from Gov. Dannel Malloy that Connecticut is participating in Zero: 2016, a national initiative of the nonprofit Community Solutions that aims to to end veteran and chronic homelessness within two years.
“Connecticut has the opportunity to be the first state in the union to end homelessness among our veterans as well as chronic homelessness for people with disabilities within two years,” Malloy said in a statement.
In a press release, the governor’s office said recent surveys show there are about 1,000 veterans and 2,400 chronically homeless people with disabilities in the state.
“We continue to see great progress in our efforts to end chronic and veteran homelessness,” said Evonne Klein, state Department of Housing commissioner, in a statement. “Acceptance into the Zero: 2016 initiative will bolster these efforts, providing us with another tool to help reach our goal of stamping out homelessness in Connecticut.”
Community Solutions on its website says it will work toward its mission by providing hands-on coaching and data tools as well as curating a national peer-to-peer learning network for participating communities.
