New Federal Data Standards for Homeless Programs
Friday, September 19, 2003
- Organization: NYPLI
(from the Bazelon.org website)
Sept. 9, 2003--Mental health advocates at the Bazelon Center charge that new federal data standards will hinder services provided by homeless programs.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published its proposed 'Homeless Management Information Systems Data and Technical Standards" in its July 2003 Federal Register. The proposal will require every homeless shelter and services provider receiving federal money to ask detailed questions of every applicant. These questions include disability and HIV status as well as mental health inquiries. The proposal states that the intention of these questions is to gain a better understanding of those in need of services. However, Bazelon released a statement on its website calling such requirements "illegal, morally wrong and bad public policy--likely to push "hard to serve" people with mental illnesses even farther from support and services."
The Bazelon Center is calling on the public to help reject these standards.
Please send your letters to:
Sept. 9, 2003--Mental health advocates at the Bazelon Center charge that new federal data standards will hinder services provided by homeless programs.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published its proposed 'Homeless Management Information Systems Data and Technical Standards" in its July 2003 Federal Register. The proposal will require every homeless shelter and services provider receiving federal money to ask detailed questions of every applicant. These questions include disability and HIV status as well as mental health inquiries. The proposal states that the intention of these questions is to gain a better understanding of those in need of services. However, Bazelon released a statement on its website calling such requirements "illegal, morally wrong and bad public policy--likely to push "hard to serve" people with mental illnesses even farther from support and services."
The Bazelon Center is calling on the public to help reject these standards.
Please send your letters to:
Michael Roanhouse, Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development
Room 7262
Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 Seventh Street, SW.
Washington, DC 20410-7000.
Comments must reference the Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) Data and Technical Standards Notice, Docket Number FR 4848-N-01, and must be received at HUD by September 22, 2003.
For more information, please see: http://bazelon.org/takeaction/alerts/9-9-03hmis.htm
Topics:
