For Local Updates on COVID-19 Continue to Check the Westchester County Department of Health Website
https://health.westchestergov.com/
HUD Exchange Presents-Infectious Disease Preparedness for Homeless Assistance Providers and Their Partners
Click here for a copy of the slides presented- Infectious Disease Preparedness Among Homeless Assistance Providers and Their Partners
Farewell and Thank You to DCMH's Intern Michele Landry!
We thank Michele for all of her hard work and contributions to the 2020 Point in Time Count. We appreciate all that Michele has accomplished and look forward to working with her again on next year’s PIT Count!
Time to start planning this year’s Spring Symposium!
To take the brief anonymous questionnaire to help identify topics of interest, which will play an important role in determining the curriculum offered during this year’s Spring Symposium, click here:
MLK Day of Service with Volunteer NY !
Members of the Old Guard of Westchester participate in the MLK Day of Service sponsored by Volunteer NY! These note cards are inserted in care packages for people experiencing homelessness in Westchester.
Read MoreMarc Dones- Tools to implement anti-racist policies at your agency
A Must Watch! - Tools to implement anti-racist policies at your agency.
Speaker Marc Dones centers around providing the audience with tools and strategies that can transform systems to better serve the needs of the most vulnerable populations. They spoke on the importance of specificity in equity-based work and having diversity at the decision making tables.
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Volunteer Opportunities for the 2020 PIT Count Available →
It’s official! Planning for the January 2020 Point-in-Time Count is well underway and our listing on the VolunteerNY! website is live. If you are interesting in volunteering please sign up, we can’t do it without you!
#bettertogether #endhomelessness #2020PITCount #Westchester
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Westchester County CoC Reveals a New Homeless Prioritization Tool
This month Westchester County’s CoC revealed the Comprehensive Homelessness Assessment Tool (CHAT). This proprietary tool will replace the Homeless Assessment Tool (HAT) to collect ONLY what CoC stakeholders have found to be the most relevant and helpful information from clients when identifying housing opportunities for them through Westchester’s Coordinated Entry system and CoC housing inventory. The CHAT score, along with the length of time a person has been homeless will determine an individual or family’s place on the Coordinated Entry Housing Prioritization List.
Important Dates
October 1, 2019 – The CHAT is available to all HMIS users.
October 1-31, 2019 – All current CE enrollees and new clients must have a CHAT done with them
November 1, 2019 - All clients who are in CE but do not yet have an active housing referral will need a CHAT to be referred to housing
**All clients with current housing referrals can proceed without a CHAT. A CHAT will be needed only if the existing housing referral is declined by the client or provider**
Allison McSpedon, Systems Manager for Westchester County’s Continuum of Care to End Homelessness presents on Westchester County’s new Comprehensive Homelessness Assessment Tool (CHAT).
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley Presents: Basic Housing Law and Eviction Prevention for the Community Advocate (Including Updates to the New Housing Laws)
Join Legal Services of the Hudson Valley for breakfast and training on basic housing law and useful eviction prevention tools. This training is designed for non-attorney housing advocates/case managers/community activists/and those providing services to low income residents of Westchester County.
Two sessions will be offered at the following locations:
Yonkers Riverfront Library
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
10:00am – 12:00 noon
One Larkin Center, Yonkers, NY 10701
RSVP to: Cindy Rivera (914) 376-3757 ext. 301 or Crivera@lshv.org
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
10:00am – 12:00 noon
90 Maple Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601
RSVP to: Alicia Vasquez (914) 949-1305 ext. 127 or Avasquez@lshv.org
Upcoming Motivational Interviewing Training!
The Westchester County Continuum of Care Partnership for the Homeless invites you to attend our upcoming training sponsored by the CoC’s Educational Sub-Committee entitled; Addressing Substance Misuse in Permanent Supportive Housing with Motivational Interviewing Techniques.
Presenter: Liliane Drago, MA, CASAC Master Counselor, MAC - Director, Outreach Training Institute
Date: October 3rd, 2019
Time: 8:30am - 11:30am (Doors open at 8:15 training starts promptly at 8:30am)
Location: Westchester Board of Elections - 25 Quarropas St, White Plains, NY 10601
Note: Please do not park in the lot next to the building; please park in one of the surrounding municipal lots.
Making the Invisible Visible: Westchester’s Hidden Homeless Children & Youth - Westchester Children’s Association (WCA) began its investigation into child and youth homelessness in Westchester County in fall 2017, to identify how the organization can lend its voice in advocacy to develop adequate and permanent housing for this population. Through comprehensive data analysis and conversations with homeless and formerly homeless community members, County service providers and stakeholders, and an array of government officials and staff, WCA began to identify and understand the complex experiences of homelessness among Westchester’s children and youth. This is WCA’s initial report on child and youth homelessness in Westchester and will be followed with additional information and analysis as WCA continues its work.
Click Here to view the full report.