Mr. President, today I join my colleague, Senator Burr, in reintroducing the Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act, SELHA.
It is estimated that between 2.5 and 3.5 million Americans experience a period of homelessness in a given year. With the current economy, with more Americans losing their jobs and their homes, it is likely that the total has risen. While the majority of these individuals will only be homeless for a brief period of time, a growing segment is experiencing prolonged periods of homelessness. Roughly 124,000 Americans fall under the category of chronically homeless. In my state of Rhode Island, approximately ten percent of homeless individuals cycle in and out of homelessness.
In March 2003, former Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson issued a report that defined the issues and challenges facing the chronically homeless and developed a comprehensive approach to bringing the appropriate services and treatments to this population of individuals who typically fall outside of mainstream support programs.
The same year, the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health also recommended the development of a comprehensive plan to facilitate access to permanent supportive housing for individuals and families who are chronically homeless. Affordable housing, alone, is not enough for many chronically homeless to achieve stability. This population also needs flexible, mobile, and individualized support services to sustain them in housing.
Since the Commission made the recommendations, approximately 60,000 units of permanent supportive housing have been developed and currently another 30,000 are under development. Numerous studies conducted by cities and states across the country demonstrate that supportive housing can save local governments between $15,000 and $30,000 that would otherwise be spent in publicly funded shelters, hospitals--including VA hospitals--and prisons. The savings nearly pays for the cost of supportive housing and the outcome is much different; indeed it is much improved. Permanent supportive housing results in better mental and physical health, employment, greater income, fewer arrests, better progress toward recovery, self sufficiency, and less homelessness.
However, funding for supportive services to complement these housing efforts continues to be an issue. The legislation we are introducing today is critical to the development and implementation of more effective strategies to combat chronic homelessness through improved service delivery and coordination across federal agencies serving this population. It directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, SAMHSA, to coordinate its Federal efforts with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, other Federal departments that provide supportive housing, and various agencies within HHS that provide supportive services.
This bipartisan measure is designed to help improve coordination and ensure access to the range of supportive services that the growing number of chronically homeless Americans need to get back on their feet. Our bill brings together permanent supportive housing and services, the essential tools to enable these individuals to begin to take the steps necessary to once again become productive and active members of our communities.
