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Policy
Academies Will Help States Improve Access to Services for
Homeless People;
First of Two Academies Is Set for November;
Application Deadline Is Aug. 31
HHS
Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced two special “policy
academies” to help states, U.S. territories and the District
of Columbia better coordinate access to mainstream health
and human services for people who are homeless, and he invited
governors and chief executives to send representatives to
the sessions.
“None
of us alone can stop homelessness, but all of us working together
can help people who are homeless through better coordinated
health, social services and housing programs,” Secretary Thompson
said. “These
academies will encourage innovative approaches to better meet
the diverse needs of homeless families and individuals in
communities across the country.”
Sponsored
jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services and
the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the policy
academies will be open to as many as 21 state teams, who will
gather to receive advice and technical assistance from experts
on social service programs from around the country and the
two departments. State
teams will prepare plans that contain specific strategies
for overcoming barriers that prevent homeless people from
accessing available services.
Participants in the academies also will examine promising
practices in other states that may be adapted to their own
circumstances.
The
first of the two planned academies – scheduled for Nov. 27-28
in Santa Fe, N.M. – will focus on improving services to homeless
families with children.
The second academy – set for February or March 2002
in Philadelphia – will focus on serving persons who are “chronically”
homeless, with an emphasis on persons with mental health and
substance abuse issues.
Travel,
hotel, meal expenses and registration will be paid for up
to 10 members on each state team. States
may participate in more than one academy, but separate applications
must be submitted for each academy.
More
information on the academies and application material is available
on the Web at http://www.hrsa.gov/policymakers.htm
or by contacting Lynnette Araki (phone: 301-443-6204
or email: Laraki@hrsa.gov)
or George Kanuck (301-443-8642 or Gkanuck@samhsa.gov).
Applications
must be submitted by Aug. 31, 2001, to:
Lynnette
S. Araki, M.P.H.
Office of Planning, Evaluation and Legislation
Health Resources and Services Administration
Parklawn Building, Room 14-36
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, Md. 20857
FAX: 301-443-9270
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