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Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless (CAAH)
CAAH was formed in November 1993 as a
result of the Governor’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and incorporated in
1996 to better fulfill its role as the “Continuum of Care” (CoC) agency for the
seven parish area of the Capital Area Human Services District II. Every step of
CAAH’s existence has been informed by a growing awareness of the extent of
homelessness, that solutions exist, and the necessity of community cooperation
to implement best practice solutions. From its inception, CAAH membership has
been open to any organization or individual involved or interested in the
alleviation of homelessness.
Early members included long established programs that provided shelter and
services to the homeless (VOA Greater Baton Rouge, O’Brien House, the Society of
St. Vincent de Paul, and OLOL’s St. Anthony’s Home, and Catholic Community
Services) and governmental agencies charged with providing services to homeless
persons (Capital Area Human Services District, the City-Parish Office of
Community Development, and the C-P Office of Community Services).
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines a homeless person
as someone living on the street or in an emergency shelter or who would be
without supportive services. Its definition further includes those about to be
evicted from a private dwelling, discharged from an institution, or fleeing
domestic violence. This definition expands upon the traditional view of the
homeless as those living on the streets or in public places, and it calls for a
much broader range of housing options and services.
While our mandate extends beyond street homeless, the most visible homeless
group, the awareness of problems and solutions is growing. Baton Rouge is one of
many of U.S. cities that has recently adopted a “10 Year Plan to End Chronic
Homelessness.” Mayor Bobby Simpson recently testified in Washington before a
House Committee about a local vision for ending chronic homelessness.
The Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless has responded to this imperative with
a range of housing and service options that built on the traditional emergency
shelters and treatment based temporary housing to include outreach to the
homeless, mental health and substance abuse case management, veterans housing,
life skills training, job training/placement, youth shelters, and literacy/GED
classes. Since 1996 CAAH agencies have received over ten million dollars from
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund projects. Through
this expansion of the understanding of homelessness, the Alliance continued to
seek partner agencies and has grown to a coalition of about thirty agencies and
individuals.
CAAH and its members continue to address homelessness and its root causes. In
spite of our record of housing production and services, the problem is growing.
Each year the federal grant that funds Continuum of Care projects asks for an
assessment of the scope of homelessness in the community. The 2004 application
Housing Gaps Chart reflected a 490 bed shortage. Meanwhile Baton Rouge Crisis
Care’s 211 line reports a marked increase in calls for housing referrals and
assistance with housing payments:
The 2nd quarter of 2004 had an increase of 85% in Housing Referrals and a 227%
increase in requests for Housing Assistance.
So the challenge grows. At first CAAH existed as a non-structured coalition, but
the ever increasing demands placed on an official CoC required a structure to
assure that long range planning, program development, grant writing, and
adequate record keeping occurred. The progression from loose knit alliance to
non-profit agency placed such demands on the volunteer board that plans emerged
to establish an office and hire a staff person. On March 1, 2004 Randy Nichols
began work as CAAH’s first Executive Director.
Another major event is the upcoming implementation of web based networking
software that enables all our members to share data and access program
information. The ServicePoint Homeless Management Information System will go
live on Nov. 1. Randy Nichols and Corey Dyer, recently hired Network
Administrator, will lead in training and support of member agencies.
The Capital Area Alliance for the Homeless constantly seeks to improve its
efforts. We are looking for new ways to address homelessness. Among the recent
promising events are:
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70 Homeless advocates attended a
workshop on the “Housing First” model. Plans to incorporate the insights of
this model are underway.
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CAAH and the Capital Area Human
Services District met with area churches regarding ways to coordinate our
efforts to reach the homeless.
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CAAH has been asked by the Mid-City
Merchants Association to design and conduct a training on Homeless issues in
the area that includes working with the merchants on a public awareness
campaign on responding effectively and compassionately to the homeless.
Positive steps are being taken with the Alliance in the lead.
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