Evansville Conducts Annual One-Day Count of Homeless Population 1.25.17
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2017
CONTACT:
Commission on Homelessness
Timothy Weir – tweir@accuridecorp.com
812.430-6038
Aurora Inc – lead agency
Brian Kerney – bkerney@auroraevansville.org
812-428-3246
Evansville Conducts Annual One-Day Count of Homeless Population
Point-in-Time Count measures sheltered, unsheltered homeless
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Evansville’s annual Point-in-Time count of the region’s homeless population – including both sheltered and unsheltered persons – will take place Wednesday, January 25, 2017 during the evening and overnight hours. Local news media are invited to cover this event and can make arrangements by contacting Aurora, Inc.
The Point-in-Time Count measures the homeless population of a certain area on a single designated day and time each year. The nationally-implemented process involves physically counting each person staying in a shelter and those “unsheltered” homeless persons who are living in places not meant for habitation. The information gathered in Evansville and Vanderburgh County is then shared with the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) to help establish the scope of homelessness in the United States and help policymakers and program administrators attract resources to help address and end homelessness.
The count is a 2 part process: street and shelters.
- Shelters: Evansville initiates a white flag, so any and all can come to the shelter for the day (it makes counting the majority easier). The shelter staff completes the survey forms for each person and enters the info into HMIS (Indiana’s homeless data tracking system). Shelters not on the HMIS system receive paper forms to complete and send to Indianapolis for entry into HMIS.
Local shelters included in the count: United Caring Services, YWCA, House of Bread and Peace, Goodwill Family Center, Evansville Rescue Mission, Ozanam Family Shelter, and Albion Fellows Bacon Center.
- Street: Aurora’s Homeless Outreach Team goes out on the streets with survey forms in hand, to places where it is known that homeless people congregate or stay. The outreach team completes the forms and enters the information into HMIS.
About The Commission on Homelessness
The Evansville-Vanderburgh Commission on Homelessness was formed in 2005, to oversee and facilitate the implementation of Destination: Home – The Plan to End Homelessness and ensure that its strategies continue moving forward. This Commission was established by ordinances passed by both the Evansville City Council (February 2005) and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners (December 2004). The Commission’s purpose is to make non-binding recommendations to city and county government, non-profit organizations, and other interested agencies concerning the ten-year plan to end homelessness. It also makes similar recommendations on other issues of importance concerning homelessness in our community and oversees progress on the implementation of Destination: Home – The Plan to End Homelessness.