On Tuesday, April 9th, and the following Tuesday the 16th, Will Marcy, Sue Lucas, Arthur Kastner and myself partook in a special Homeless Outreach opportunity with WNY Homeless Outreach workers! Prior to beginning, we organized donations and supplies at Grace Point Alliance, http://www.gracepointalliance.com, and prepared for the evening by praying for those in need, marginalized and forgotten.

Throughout the course of the evening, we searched every corner, nook and cranny of the city of Buffalo! We spent alot of time in the Buffalo Transit Bus Station downtown, as this appears to have become a haven for those with nowhere else to go…..additionally, we met with several long & short term clients of WNY’s. The workers at Matt Urban Hope Center have excellent rapport with their clients and homeless throughout the city, it was impressive! Additionally, we located a few new locations, including under bridges, and inside railway tunnels, which can be at times quite dangerous – at least two of us were scraped climbing back up the walls since we did not have a ladder!

The men, women and children that are reached during this event, which by the way occurs from 9pm until approximately midnight, just breaks my heart at times! There are so many services, opportunities and alternatives available, that if just even one of these persons would reach out and make the choice to move forward, their lives could continue on. On several occasions we would find persons, or abandoned camps that had old and raggedy beds, art made from trash, and deprecated personal belongings left outside to ruin. Many of the persons we spoke with were very receptive to what was being offered, and at times some even accepted opportunities to pray, and receive food, clothing and drink.

All in all, this activity is a must for anyone willing to make a difference in the WNY area, especially the City of Buffalo. The most recent report I believe announced just a little over 5,000 persons considered homeless, between those living on the street and those institutionalized due to homelessness. Although we have many persons that are MICA (Mentally Ill, Chemically Addicted) on the streets, we have an even more alarming amount of veterans, families and single men, who due to education and recession are left without and scared, hungry and afraid….

Annual Report

Executive Summary

They may not find their stories and the stories of their clients very compelling because it is part of their days work but to hear the stories of personal trauma that lead people to becoming homeless destroys the myths and stereotypes of homelessness.  By telling the human, personal story, the Homeless Alliance of WNY is hoping that it will help mobilize the community and political will to finally put an end to homelessness.

The Affordable Care Act will expand Medicaid’s role as a safety net for the uninsured.  By 2014, states must provide standard Medicaid coverage to all adults under 65 with incomes at or below 133% of federal poverty levels.  States are tasked with performing the outreach necessary to enroll previously ineligible persons, although they will likely need assistance with this task.  In addition, hospital may use “presumptive eligibility” to reduce the financial risk of treating someone who hospital personnel can reasonably assume to be “Medicaid eligible.”

Another change in Medicaid is the greater emphasis on home and community treatment, as opposed to hospitalization and other institution based treatment.  States will have more funding for Home and Community Based Services (HCBS).  This more flexible treatment option can be a valuable supportive service for individuals or families in permanent supportive housing.  This incentivizes the immediate provision of stable housing, a trend also encouraged by HUD.

Eligibility for HCBS has also been expanded.  If HCBS will be used to avoid an alternative of institution, incomes up to 300% of monthly SSI could be eligible.  Otherwise, income eligibility is set at 150% of the poverty line.  This means individuals not eligible for standard Medicaid may still be eligible for needs based HCBS.

In line with this greter emphasis on HCBS, emergency rooms will be de-emphasized as a medical solution.  Separate subsidies for hospitals that deal with a large number of uninsured patients will be eliminated and several funding realignments will make emergency rooms less accommodating for non-urgent and social health care.

While the law set into motion a number of changes that could potentially improve the ability of low income individuals to access health care, effort by the community will be needed to make sure any potential benefits are realized.  Advocates for the homeless should encourage their state to fund HCBS.  As HCBS becomes more important, connections between mainstream healthcare providers and housing organizations will need to be formed and maintained.

(Adapted from the National Alliance To End Homeless’s Can Medicaid Reform Make a Difference for Homeless Individuals?)

Emergency Housing Notes

Outreach-Chronic Homeless Focus Group Notes

Prevention Focus Group Notes

PSH focus group notes

Transitional Housing Focus Group Notes

Youth notes

HUD previously announced that the Erie County Continuum of Care received $6.4 million in renewal project funding for the Homeless.  As part of this announcement two new projects in Erie County have received funding totaling $2,438,752.  The two projects are

Lt. Col. Matt Urban Hope Gardens Housing First SHP $1,677,863

This new housing first low demand – project intends to serve 20 chronically Homeless women in a newly constructed facility that includes 20 one bedroom apartments, residential/community space and commercial space. The building structure will itself be clinical in nature in that it contains therapeutic elements.

Marlies Wesolowski, Exec. Dir. Of the Matt Urban Center said, “We did this because many of the women we intend to serve experience high incidents of sexual and physical assault while living on the street. As a result, the survival mechanisms that they develop to keep themselves safe often prevents them from forming trusting relationships an essential component of obtaining necessary treatments. It is our assertion that the physical environment will aide in their recovery from their traumatic experiences of homelessness and provide a transition to building trusting relationships with program staff.”

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services Permanent Housing SHP $760,889

The Young Adult Permanent Housing project will provide 20 scattered site apartments permanent housing to homeless, unaccompanied young adult males and females ages 18-25 with a disability diagnosis from a disabling substance use disorder who have been unable to remain alcohol and or drug free for long sustainable periods of time leading to homelessness and housing instability.  William Burgin, Exec. Dir. Of ADDS said, “This population has made numerous attempts to maintain stable housing but has been unsuccessful due to their addictions.  Demonstration studies have shown that permanent supportive housing has a high rate of successfully stabilizing recovering individuals.”

Five of the apartments have been slated for the chronically homeless.

The Homeless Alliance of WNY is the Continuum of Care agency for Buffalo and Erie County and responsible for writing the grant that has received a total of $8.8 million in funding for Erie County Homeless programs this year.  Dale Zuchlewski, Executive Director of the Homeless Alliance said, “the two new programs that were announced by HUD will add to our local portfolio of Homeless services and help us to achieve our ultimate goal of ending homelessness in Erie County.”

Housing First

Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership

Patient Voices to Improve Primary Care

As the coordinating agency for Erie County, in the Continuum of Care funding competition, the Alliance has brought over sixty million dollars to area homeless service and housing providers over the past six years.  This funds permanent housing for the chronically homeless, transitional housing for women and youth, street outreach and re-housing, and related services.

The Alliance conducts both our own research, and reviews of existing research, in order to identify needs and service gaps in the community, develops best-practice models for community consumption, and helps its member organizations to better serve the homeless.  We coordinate the efforts of member agencies and local, state, and national government departments, to combat homelessness and poverty issues from all angles.

We can’t continue to do this extremely valuable and important work without your support.  We hope that you will consider continuing your support of HAWNY with a gift of at least $50, though a gift of any amount is greatly appreciated.  It will go far in the fight to end homelessness in our community.

Please print out this Donation Form and return to the Homeless Alliance of WNY at 960 Main St. Buffalo, NY 14202.

VA Western New York Healthcare System will host an employment and education fair for Veterans on

Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Freedom Hall at the Buffalo site, 3495 Bailey Avenue.

Veterans know what it means to do “an honest day’s work.” They have a track record of integrity which translates into qualities of sincerity and trustworthiness.  We are seeking employers, including Veteran owned, federal agencies, and privately owned businesses to participate.

Veterans have the proven ability to learn new skills and concepts. In addition, they can enter the workforce with identifiable and transferable skills, proven in real world situations.  Colleges are encouraged to participate by offering education opportunities for Veterans.
Veterans will have the opportunity to meet with prospective employers, learn about education
opportunities available through local colleges and participate in workshops to improve skills.  Workshops
presented in the Skills Center, room 309A, will include assistance in using USA Jobs and dressing for success.

Information will be available to assist Veteran owned businesses in the process to bid for government work.

To reserve a space at the employment and education fair, contact Public Affairs at 862-8753/4 or complete

the application attached and email to Evangeline.Conley@va.gov by Friday, February 17.

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