Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
SENATE
Oct. 7, 2004

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. REED):

S. 2937. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to provide supportive services in permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Mr. DEWINE. Mr. President, today I rise with my colleague, Senator JACK REED, to introduce the Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act. I would like to thank Senator REED for his support in introducing this bill. I appreciate his dedication and commitment to this issue.

The chronically homeless are about 10 percent of the entire homeless population, but consume a majority of the services. There are approximately 200,000 to 250,000 people who experience chronic homelessness. Those numbers include the heads of families, as well.

Tragically, for these individuals, the periods of homelessness are measured in years-not weeks and months. They tend to have disabling health and behavioral health problems: 40 percent have substance abuse disorders, 25 percent have a physical disability, and 20 percent have serious mental illness. These factors often contribute to a person becoming homeless, in the first place, and are certainly an impediment to overcoming it.

The President has set a goal of ending chronic homelessness in 10 years. The President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, chaired by the Ohio Department of Mental Health Director, Mike Hogan, recommended that a comprehensive program be created to facilitate access to permanent supportive housing for individuals and families who are chronically homeless. This recommendation is so important because affordable housing, alone, is not enough for this hard to reach group. And, temporary shelter-housing does not provide the stability and services needed to provide long-term positive outcomes. Only supportive housing, where the chronically homeless can receive shelter and services, such as mental health and substance abuse treatment, has been effective in decreasing their chances of returning to the streets and increasing their chances for leading productive lives.

Not only is it right to help this group of hard to reach individuals, but it is also fiscally responsible. This group is one of the most expensive groups to serve. As I mentioned previously, they represent 10 percent of the overall homeless population, however they consume a majority of the services for the homeless. They consume the most emergency housing and health care services, which are also the most costly to provide. By encouraging supportive housing, we are providing the services necessary for these individuals and families to really get back on their feet. We can either continue to provide expensive emergency services to these needy people or we can give them the right kind of help-the type of help they need for their long-term well-being and long-term well-being of our communities.

Unfortunately, current programs for funding services in permanent supportive housing, other than those administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), were not designed to be coordinated with housing programs. These programs were also not designed to meet the challenging needs of this specific subgroup of the homeless. That is why the bill we are introducing today would provide the authorization to fund services to the chronically homeless in supportive housing by providing grants which can be used with existing programs through HUD and State and local communities.

This bill also would encourage those who provide services to the chronically homeless, such as SAMHSA within the Department of Health and Human Services, to work with and coordinate their efforts with those who provide the physical housing, such as HUD. Under the current administration, these two departments have started to truly coordinate their efforts and this bill would encourage and support that continued collaboration.

This is a good bill, and it could make a real difference in the lives of so many individuals in need. I ask my colleagues to join us in support.

I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows: