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Spotlight On...
SAMHSA Calls for SOAR Applications
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is seeking applications for the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program. SOAR helps states and localities better navigate key federal income support programs. These benefits, especially Supplemental Security Income (SSI), can be vital for chronically homeless people who have a mental illness, a co-occurring substance use disorder, or other serious medical condition. Participation in SOAR requires local collaboration with statewide efforts. Currently, all states are participating.
Continuums of Care (CoCs) that are new to SOAR technical assistance are invited to apply for participation by June 1. CoCs are asked to notify SOAR of their interest by Friday, May 18.
More Information
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Hill Update
House Takes Up VAWA Reauthorization Bill
The House Committee on the Judiciary voted on and approved a new version of the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization bill after the Senate passed similar legislation last month. The House's version would pare down some of the protections afforded to immigrant and LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence and would remove provisions that allow tribal courts to prosecute non-tribal perpetrators. The bill is set to go to the full House for a vote as soon as this week.
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies will mark up its FY 2013 funding bill for programs within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) tomorrow, May 16. The details of the bill, released today, include $1.35 billion in FY 2013 for key programs targeted toward homeless veterans, including the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, Grant and Per Diem programs, and case management for the joint Department of Housing and Urban Development - VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers. The full Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take the measure up on Thursday, May 17. This amount matches the amount requested by the President in his Budget Proposal and is represents a more than 30 percent increase from FY 2012. The full House Committee on Appropriations will mark up and vote on similar legislation for FY 2013. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs approved the legislation last week; however, the full details regarding funding levels for homeless veteran programs are not yet available.
In addition, the full House approved the FY 2013 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill, H.R. 5326, last week. The legislation includes $70 million for the Second Chance Act, an increase of $7 million over the FY 2012 level, and $25 million for the Transitional Housing Grants for survivors of domestic violence, which represents flat funding from FY 2012.
House Passes Sequestration Alternative
Last week, the full House approved H.R. 4966, which aims to protect defense spending from the sequestration while shifting further spending reductions to non-defense discretionary programs and reducing domestic spending by an additional $19 billion over 10 years. It is unclear whether the Senate will move to take up H.R. 4966 or similar legislation.
HHS Requests RHYA Grant Applications
The Transitional Living Program supports projects that provide long-term residential services to homeless youth ages 16 to 21 for up to 21 months. Maternity Group Homes are specialized Transitional Living Programs targeted toward pregnant and parenting homeless youth and their children. Applications for both programs are due on July 10. For more information on the applications for these programs, please view the 2012 and 2013 funding announcements.
Conference Scholarship Deadline Passes
The Alliance is happy to be able to offer a Conference Scholarship Program, providing opportunities to attend the conference to individuals who are currently homeless or who have formerly experienced homelessness and cannot afford to participate. The scholarship application deadline ended yesterday, May 14. Letters regarding the status of scholarship applications will be sent via mail, or email, within two weeks. We look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC this July!
Upcoming HUD Webinars
In addition, HUD will host two sessions of a webinar on entitled "Building the Bridge: HPRP to ESG." The first session will be held on Tuesday, May 22 at 3:30 p.m. ET and another session on Thursday, May 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Congressional Briefing on LGBTQ Youth Homelessness with Cyndi Lauper
Last Thursday, May 10, the House LGBT Equality Caucus hosted briefing on homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The briefing explored ways to improve the federal response to youth homelessness, including through improving data and expanding family intervention. Panelists included Cyndi Lauper of the True Colors Fund, Andrew Barnett of Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League, Deborah Shore of Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Jeff Krehely of the Center for American Progress, and André Wade of the Alliance. Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, moderated the briefing. For more information, visit our blog.
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