Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition

Click here to read our latest newsletter, with updates from SRS, USICH, and the Balance of State Stakeholders meeting!

SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program was developed by Policy Research Associates (PRA) to address the common barrier that homeless people who have disabilities have as they try to gain benefit entitlements such as Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance.    PRA reports that the national success rate on initial applications for SSI and SSDI for all applicants is 37% but only 11% of the homeless population is estimated to receive SSI.  SOAR is a training program for direct service workers who, once trained, understand Disability Determination Services and Social Security Administration’s requirements and the need for appropriate documentation, decreasing the time to issue determinations and reducing the need for appeals.    

Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services’ Division of Disability and Behavioral Health Services-Mental Health (SRS DBHS MH) and PRA-trained SOAR trainers from COMCARE and the Division of Human Services for Sedgwick County are holding SOAR Training in April.  Registration is required.  See registration forms for submission information and deadlines.  Each training is limited to 24 participants.  Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition will notify you of other SOAR trainings scheduled throughout the year.

April 1 & 2, 2010

Sedgwick County Administration Building

635 N. Main Street, Wichita, Kansas

Trainers: Division of Human Services of Sedgwick County and COMCARE of Sedgwick County

Click here for Registration Form!

Please join the McKinney Appropriations Campaign by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.  The campaign is advocating for $2.4 billion in FY 2011 to provide communities with more funding for prevention, assistance to families,  and rural programs.

Please contact Senator Brownback (on the Senate appropriatons subcommittee that funds HUD) and Congressman Moore (on the committee that passed the Hearth Act). 

For Senator Brownback, send an email to LaRochelle Young at LaRochelle.Young@brownback.senate.gov

For Congressman Moore, send an email to Glen Sears at glen.sears@mail.house.gov

Click here for a sample letter to use.

Thanks for all you accomplish toward ending homelessness in Kansas!

The South Central Region Quarterly Continuum of Care Meeting will be held on March 11, 2010 in Newton Kansas from 12-2:00 p.m.  The meeting will be held in the West Meeting Room at the Harvey County Court House .  Thank you to Jan Jones for hosting this meeting.  The meeting agenda is attached below.  Please invite a colleague to attend the meeting .

SC Region Continuum of Care Quarterly Meeting

SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program was developed by Policy Research Associates (PRA) to address the common barrier that homeless people who have disabilities have as they try to gain benefit entitlements such as Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance.    PRA reports that the national success rate on initial applications for SSI and SSDI for all applicants is 37% but only 11% of the homeless population is estimated to receive SSI.  SOAR is a training program for direct service workers who, once trained, understand Disability Determination Services and Social Security Administration’s requirements and the need for appropriate documentation, decreasing the time to issue determinations and reducing the need for appeals.    

Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services’ Division of Disability and Behavioral Health Services-Mental Health (SRS DBHS MH) and PRA trained SOAR trainers are holding two SOAR trainings in March.  Registration is required.  See registration forms below for submission information and deadlines.  Each training is limited to 24 participants.  Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition will notify you of other SOAR trainings scheduled throughout the year.

March 4 & 5, 2010

Labette Center for Mental Health Services, Inc.

1730 Belmont, Parson, Kansas

Trainers:  Wyandot Center for Behavioral Health Care, Inc.

March 10 & 11, 1010

Bert Nash Mental Health Center

200 Maine, Lawrence Kansas

Trainers:  Elizabeth Layton Center, Inc.

SOAR Across Kansas Parsons Registration Form

SOAR Across Kansas Lawrence Registration Form

To All BoS CoC Stakeholders, Grantees, and Future Grantees,

The Balance of State Continuum of Care has not received new funding for two consecutive years.  To get this process back on track, we want to meet and discuss the future of the BoS CoC, and are open to new proposals for structure and governance. As service providers we are all very busy, but it is most beneficial to meet in person to discuss our needs and agree upon a plan of action.  HUD has released a Rural CoC Guidebook that offers great advice on how a rural CoC should function.

We could be doing so much more to support one another in the development of housing programs across the state, in mentoring each other, in assisting in the implementation and operation of programs, and in assisting in compliance.  This meeting is an opportunity to understand and identify how we can take a more active role in ensuring this continuum.  We urge you to strongly consider attending.  Make plans to attend now by RSVP’ing Diane at dew@kshomeless.com.

Mandy Chapman Semple, Manhattan Emergency Shelter
Simon Messmer, Mental Health America of the Heartland
Diane Etzel-Wise, Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition

Click here for the February 15, 2010 Newsletter!

You will find valuable information on our National Partners’ websites at

National Low Income Housing Coalition and National Alliance to End Homelessness

Connect to action on behalf of Kansas children’s education!  Event planned for March 16, 2010 in Topeka!