Develop best practices and toolkits for emergency shelter operations
Emergency shelter plays a critical role within the crisis response system yet there are few if any best practice guides for communities or providers to use to improve the quality of emergency shelter. HUD, HHS, and USICH should develop best practices guidance and toolkits that can be implemented locally as part of retooling the crisis response system. The materials should cover general as well as the unique needs of sub-populations. The provision of services and efficient/effective operations by the shelter provider as well as strategies to integrate shelter with prevention, rapid rehousing, housing location, permanent supportive housing, and comprehensive services (i.e. health care, children's needs, domestic violence services, etc.) are all topics that should be covered. Without an effective emergency shelter (network of emergency shelters), it will not be possible to end homelessness.
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Mike Nolan commented
Included in the toolkit should be a procedure to follow that would identify the homeless coordinator at the local social security office that can be contacted to see if the individual is aged, blind, or disabled, and if so, if they are just missing an SSI payment or if the Social Security Administration has stopped sending the SSI payment to them.