Federal Homelessness Resource Guide

Department Of Health & Human Services (HHS)

The Department of Health & Human Services features a structure of 12 administrative agencies. Each administrative agency has program offices and bureaus. The HHS agencies responsible for homeless grants are the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Children's Bureau

Here's What We Provide

• Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP)

The Chafee Foster Care Independence Program offers assistance to help current and former foster care youths achieve self-sufficiency and make a successful transition to adulthood. Grants are offered to States who submit a plan to help youth with education, employment, financial management, housing, emotional support, and connections to caring adults for older youth in foster care and youth 18-21 who have aged out of the foster care system and may be at risk of homelessness.

• CFCIP Education and Training Vouchers Program

The CFCIP Education and Training Vouchers (ETV) program provides resources to meet the education and training needs of youth aging out of foster care.

• Abandoned Infants Assistance Program

The Abandoned Infants Assistance Program provides funding for the development of comprehensive service programs to infants and their families. We make grants to public and nonprofit private organizations that demonstrate strategies to (1) prevent abandonment; (2) identify needs and provide services to abandoned infants, especially those with AIDS; (3) assist these infants to reside with biological families, if possible, or in foster care; (4) recruit, train and retain foster parents; (5) provide residential care programs for abandoned children and children with AIDS; (6) establish programs of respite care for families and foster families; and, (7) recruit and train health and social services personnel to work with families, foster families and residential care staff.

Here's Who to Contact

The Region VI Office of Administration for Children and Families is in Dallas. The telephone number is 214-767-9648. The Child Welfare Program Manager is June Lloyd, ( 214) 767-8466. The ACF Region VI Child Welfare State Program Specialists are listed as follows:

Arkansas Amy Grissom, (214) 767-4542

Louisiana June Lloyd, (214) 767-8466

New Mexico June Lloyd, (214) 767-8466, (214) 767-4158

Oklahoma June Lloyd , (214) 767-8466

Texas Sharon Butler, (214) 767-8093

Visit the ACF website and the Children's Bureau website

The Administration for Children and Families, Family & Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)

Here's What We Provide

• Runaway & Homeless Youth - Basic Center Program (BCP)

The BCP provides competitive funding to local organizations and shelters that serve and protect runaway, homeless, missing, and sexually exploited children. We work to establish or strengthen community-based programs that address the immediate needs of runaway and homeless youth and their families by providing youth with emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling, referrals for health care, and aftercare services. The Basic Centers seek to reunite young people with their families, when possible, or to locate appropriate, alternative placements.

• Runaway & Homeless Youth - Transitional Living Program (TLP)

The TLP grants competitive funding to local organizations that provide longer term residential services to homeless youth and youth in at-risk situations ages 16-21 for up to 18 months. The TLP funding also supports maternity group homes and TLPs for young mothers and their children. Local grantees offer services that include safe, stable living accommodations; basic life-skill building; interpersonal skill building; educational opportunities including GED preparation, postsecondary training, and vocational education; job preparation assistance; substance abuse education and counseling; mental health care and counseling; and physical health care.

• Runaway & Homeless Youth - Street Outreach Program (SOP)

The SOP provides competitive funding to local organizations to provide street-based outreach and education to serve and protect runaway and homeless youth and youth on the streets who have been, or are at risk of being, sexually abused and/or exploited. The goals are to build relationships between grantee staff and street youth and to help young people leave the streets. The grantees provide access to an emergency shelter, survival aid, individual assessments, treatment and counseling, prevention and education activities, crisis intervention, information and resource referrals, and follow-up support.

• The National Communications System: The National Runaway Switchboard (NRS)

The NRS is a national communications system designed to assist youth who have run away or are considering running away, and their families. The NRS links youth and families to crisis counseling, programs and resources, and each other, as appropriate. The NRS offers a confidential, toll-free hotline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Services provided include referrals to community-based programs and youth-serving agencies across the country; message delivery service between youth and their families or guardians to reestablish communication through a neutral third party; and conference calls among parents, youth, and resource agency staff facilitated by hotline staff and volunteers.

The NRS is the sole administrator of the HOME FREE program, a collaborative effort of Greyhound Lines, Inc. and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, to provide free transportation to runaways who wish to return to their families.

• Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP)

MCP is funded directly to local faith-based and community organizations to provide new mentors to children and youth of incarcerated parents. Grantees provide services, both directly and in collaboration with other local agencies to strengthen and support children of incarcerated parents who often struggle with economic, social, and emotional burdens.

• Family Violence Prevention and Services Program (FVPSP)

FVPSP grants are funded to community organizations to develop and implement effective strategies for the identification, requirement, and use of domestic violence adolescent dating violence, prevention services concurrently with the services provided through Basic Center, Transitional Living and Street Outreach projects.

Here's Who to Contact

The Region VI Office of Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is in Dallas. The telephone number is (214) 767-9648. The ACF Region VI Runaway and Homeless Youth Lead is Ralph Rogers, (214) 767-2977. Visit the ACF website and the Family & Youth Services Bureau website.

The National Runaway Switchboard (NRS) is in Chicago. The Hotline toll-free number is (800) 621-4000. The Hotline TDD toll-free number is (800) 621-0394.

For further information about FYSB's programs, contact the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth, P.O. Box 13505, Silver Spring, MD 20911-3505; (301) 608-8098; fax: (301) 608-8721; email.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Here's What We Provide

• FirstStep

FirstStep is an interactive software tool for community and organization case managers, outreach workers, and others working with people who are homeless. The information on the FirstStep CD-ROM will help you assist your homeless clients to access benefits from Federal mainstream benefit programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); Veteran's Affairs Compensation; Veterans Affairs Health Care; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Food Stamps; Medicaid; Medicare; One-Stop Career Center System; and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

• Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Began January 1, 2006

Medicaid prescription drug coverage is changing. Medicare prescription drug coverage is available to all people with Medicare. Coverage is not automatic for most people. There is extra help for many people with limited income and resources. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) needs your help with informing persons who are homeless and eligible for this program about their options.

Here's Who to Contact

For more information about Medicare and/or Prescription Drug Coverage:

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Health Care

Here's What We Provide

• Health Care for the Homeless Program (HCH)

The HCH program grants funding to local grantees that provide a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach to delivering care to homeless clients through aggressive street outreach, 24-hour access to emergency health services, primary care, mental health and substance abuse services, case management, and client advocacy. Emphasis is placed on coordinating efforts with other community health providers and social service agencies.

Here's Who to Contact

The HRSA Dallas Regional Division Office supports Region 6 States of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Please contact Shirley Henley at 214-767-3872. The HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care, State & Community Assistance Office contact person is Cephas Goldman at 301-594-4488. Visit the HRSA homeless website.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services

Here's What We Provide

• Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)

The PATH Program provides funding to States and territories to fund local organizations providing community-based outreach, screening and diagnostic services, community mental health services, substance abuse treatment services, case management services, supervisory services in residential settings, and a limited set of housing services including services to help clients access housing resources. Local PATH-supported organizations provide these wide-ranging services to individuals with serious mental illnesses, as well as individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders, who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, Almost all States use PATH funds to provide outreach services to contact and engage homeless people who have not used services.

Here's Who to Contact

SAMHSA does not use regional offices. Please contact the Rockville, MD Office at (240) 276-2000. Visit the SAMHSA website and The National Resource and Training Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness website.