HHS
and HUD announce expanded partnership, new Housing and
Services Resource Center
Partnership will improve
access to affordable, accessible housing and supportive
services
Today, the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
and the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) announced the expansion of a partnership established
earlier this year to improve access to affordable,
accessible housing and the critical services that make
community living possible. The partners also announced the
launch of a national Housing and Services Resource Center
(HSRC) as the hub of this coordinated federal effort.
Today’s announcement builds on President Biden’s Executive Order
establishing a government-wide commitment to advancing
equity, including for people with disabilities, as well as
additional commitments announced in
July on the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities
Act.
Within HHS, this partnership is led by the Administration
for Community Living. It includes the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
and the Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
Many people with disabilities, older adults, and people
experiencing homelessness need help obtaining housing that
is both affordable and accessible. Many also need
access to community-based supportive services – such as
behavioral health services, personal care assistance,
tenancy supports, accessible transportation, and
home-delivered meals – in order to live successfully and
stably in the community. Without housing and services
that meets their needs, they are often left with no choice
but to live in facilities, like nursing homes and homeless
shelters, or on the streets.
In every state and community, there are a number of
entities and programs helping people access housing and
supportive services. Too often, however, the housing and
service systems are siloed. On the other hand,
stronger collaboration between these systems would enable
states and communities to coordinate resources to help
older adults, people with disabilities and people
experiencing homelessness achieve housing stability, live
with dignity and independence in the community, and
avoiding homelessness and costly institutional
care.
“COVID-19 has been particularly devastating for people who
live in nursing homes and other congregate settings.
Expanding community living options is critical to advancing
health equity,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “That’s
why the Biden-Harris Administration is investing more today
in home and community-based services, behavioral health,
and affordable and accessible housing. Our partnership with
HHS and HUD comes at a pivotal moment, and we’re going to
keep up the pace as we help communities build back better.”
“Many communities across the country are seeing growing
numbers of people with disabilities and older adults
experiencing homelessness. Thanks to the American Rescue
Plan, HUD is able to provide communities with historic new
housing resources needed to bring many more people
experiencing homelessness off the streets and out of
shelters and into permanent homes,” said HUD Secretary
Marcia L. Fudge. “This new joint HHS and HUD center will
help communities break down the silos and coordinate the
provision of services with housing to ensure that these new
resources reach our most vulnerable homeless neighbors.”
The Housing
and Services Resource Center will implement a
federally coordinated approach to providing resources,
program guidance, training, and technical assistance to
public housing authorities and housing providers; state
Medicaid, disability, aging and behavioral health agencies;
the aging and disability networks; homeless services
organizations and networks; health care systems and
providers; and tribal organizations.
The Housing and Services Resource Center also aims to
facilitate state and local partnerships between housing and
service systems and assist communities in leveraging new
housing and service resources available through the
American Rescue Plan and, when it passes, through the Build
Back Better Act.
The Housing and Services Resource Center website brings
together -- for the first time -- a wide variety of federal
resources and guidance on both housing and services that
support community living, including Medicaid-funded home
and community-based services, behavioral health supports,
vouchers, and other housing programs. The HSRC website also
provides information about the organizations in the
respective networks and examples of successful partnerships
and strategies for more effectively and efficiently
connecting people to affordable, accessible housing and the
services provided in the home or community to support
independent living. Through the Housing and Services
Resource Center, HHS and HUD will offer webinars, develop
and disseminate new technical assistance resources,
facilitate peer-to-peer learning and launch a learning
collaborative.
View the release on HHS.gov.
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