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| "You
don't solve homelessness. You gather together as a community and make a collective statement about it by structuring a service
system." |
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-
John L. Smith
In his column dated Aug. 20, 2006
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
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Help Hope Home: Southern Nevada's Regional
Plan to End Homelessness
Business Case introduced August 23, 2007
Help Hope Home is Southern Nevada's regional effort to end homelessness.
The plan was designed through a collaborative process engaging local
governments, community providers, faith based organizations, local businesses
and committed individuals who recognized a need to address the issues of homelessness.
These planning sessions resulted in Southern Nevada developing a plan that focuses on
ending the problem of homelessness, rather than managing it. A focus on housing is a top
priority of this plan.
After two years of initial planning and infrastructure building, Southern Nevada rolled out
the first Help Hope Home Business Case in September 2007 for the region.
The
Implementation Schedule
and a detailed Work Plan supports the business case and identifies the strategies,
action steps and chevaluation methodology to be used to ensure that progress is
made toward the overarching goal of ending homelessness. We will move forward using
the information gained from the community planning sessions, local best practices in
use and research data that aligns with the needs of the community.
The three key strategies to change are:
1. HELP- Planning for Outcomes -
Design a roadmap for change, including objectives, activities and evaluation plans for each
of the key strategies that will drive community outcomes. Build the infrastructure that will deliver services,
increase access to housing opportunities and support through increased collaboration and strategic alliances
across the region.
2. HOPE- Closing the Front Door to Homelessness -
Prevent homelessness whenever possible. Improve the availability of prevention programs, expand the types of
prevention strategies, and evaluate their effectiveness in preventing homelessness. Provide people at risk for
homelessness with wraparound services. Improve access to wraparound mainstream services that link clients to
services and community support to keep the client in safe, affordable housing and address health and wellness issues.
3. HOME- Opening the Back Door out of Homelessness -
Rapidly re-house people who become homeless. Expand the availability of affordable permanent housing and improve
access to sustainable housing options. Implement the transition from the existing tiered shelter system to a
system that focuses on providing housing.
Expected Benefits: Benefits to the community from implementing a ten year plan include:
Significant cost savings in public systems from reduced use by homeless individuals, including
hospital emergency rooms, ambulances, and EMT services.
Cost savings in homeless service systems, including homeless shelters, acute psychiatric
services, and corrections programs which result from placement in supportive housing.
Enhanced quality of life for people experiencing homelessness, as well as those who are at
risk for becoming homeless, and an improved sense of community for all Southern Nevadans.
The
Implementation Schedule
actualizes the 10 Year Plan for Southern Nevada. Each key strategy is identified along with
the necessary action steps, time frame, proposed partners, community impact and funding requirements.
Help Hope Home is broken into four focus areas, under which key actions steps will be taken to address
homelessness in Southern Nevada.
It can be done, and it will take all of us. Homelessness in Southern Nevada can be ended through a
strategic and collaborative planning process that focuses on prevention and housing, and leverages
the social and intellectual capital of the leaders and stakeholders in our community. We invite you
to participate in the change we will create together, as we work to end homelessness in ten years in
our community.
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