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HOMELESSProm page 1AFlorida Office on Homelessness Executive Director Tom Pierce said. “The goal is to end chronic homelessness in 10 years.Social service agencies are required to begin using HM1S by 2004 or face total funding cuts from HUD, which provided funding for the Challenge Grant to relieve homelessness. HUD provided $h.0n billion to Florida in fiscal year 2(X)2, which ends in September. Bay County received $18 million of that amount.BASIC Executive DirectorFrank Dean, who also is president of the Homeless Hunger Coalition, said his agency turned to the Salvation Army and Panama C ity Rescue Mission to help distribute grant money to various clients, I he money was often used to pay housing deposits.“The Rescue Mission and Salvation Army were gracious enough to screen and provide the cases, Dean said. “The moneywas used to assist people that hadalready gotten a job and couldshow sustainability. We put 337people into homes.Dean said HM1S will helpstreamline services for the homeless. “It's really for the client.rhey won’t have to go throughthe whole process (of client intake) again. It’s great for convenience,’’ Dean said.Information obtained through the database will be available to state and federal officials lor research and grant applications, but names of those in the systemwill be withheld.Because of confidentiality issues with AIDS patients, Dean said he will consult with state officials to learn if BASIC also can register clients on I1M1S. “It would make life so much easier,he said.The Salvation Army and Panama City Rescue Mission registered 300 people into HMIS three weeks after the system was set up in early June.“I think the best part is being able to utilize all the services available to client in a timely fashion,” Salvation Army Social Services Director Sharon Owens said.HMIS will also help cut back on duplication of services, where people visit several agencies.“That seems to be quite a concern for a lot of agencies, but that’s not my main concern,”Owens said. In my eyes, if they duplicate services, then they’re really in need.Dean said more information will be gleaned from the homeless by meeting them where theyNve, pilll Ill“We re trying to get a clearer composite of the people so thatwe can better help them,” Deansaid. IX) we need more beds? Are they homeless by choice or circumstance? Are they from this area?”Dean said the Homeless Hunger Coalition will apply for another Challenge Grant, but the maximum amount the agency canreceive is $ 137,500, which is over$I(X),(XX) less than the previous grant. Hie cut left I Xjan apprehensive. WBkmM
Newspaper Details
Panama City News Herald
Panama City, Florida, US
Thu, Jul 10, 2003
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Chastity W.
AL, USA 21 Mar 2022
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