CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

County Authorizes Adoption of 5-Year Housing and Homeless Strategic Plan

The Chronicle - 11/28/2019

Nov. 27--The Lewis County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved to a five-year strategic action plan proposed by the Department of Public Health and Social Services to maintain an emergency shelter and housing support system that effectively identifies and responds to people at risk of, or who are experiencing homelessness.

Public Health and Social Services Director J.P. Anderson presented his group's goals and visions in combating the homeless epidemic at the commission's Monday meeting, as he cited representatives in attendance from several partner organizations -- including the Human Response Network, the Salvation Army, Rise Lewis County and Centralia College, among others -- who are all playing a role in the agency's mission to identify and address homeless housing needs.

"This plan is required by the Department of Commerce. There's quite a bit of work that's gone into it," described Anderson, who detailed the need to support people within Lewis County who are struggling with addiction and provide them unmet health needs and services.

Public Health and Social Services' "confluence" of their goals and objectives, he said, are stated in a 21-page document found at lewiscountywa.gov/departments/public-health/.

The strategic action plans consists of five primary objectives, which include: Identifying and engaging all people experiencing homelessness; prioritizing housing for people with the greatest need; operating an effective and efficient homeless crisis response system that swiftly moves people into stable, permanent housing; projecting the impact of the fully implemented plan; and addressing racial disparities among people experiencing homelessness.

"We've had a public comment period. We've had a conversation with a lot of people about it, including the Department of Commerce," added Anderson. "They were quite engaged when they developed this. There was lots of back and forth to make sure it was going to meet the next hurdle, which is approval by the state of Washington. This is an order or us to continue receiving those housing and homeless funds ... That's why it was developed."

The five-year plan, as noted in the resolution presented to the Board of County Commissioners, will cover the period of Dec. 1, 2019 through Nov. 31, 2024.

___

(c)2019 The Chronicle (Centralia, Wash.)

Visit The Chronicle (Centralia, Wash.) at www.chronline.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.