The newly reestablished and renamed Colorado Community and Interagency Council on Homelessness is now accepting applications for members from across the state.
Applications will be accepted through July 27 for the 25-member council that will work to make inter-agency and community cooperation the norm in responding to homelessness and to use a more efficient and supportive approach in creating and implementing evidence-based plans to address, and to the extent possible, end homelessness.
To obtain an application or for more information, please call (303) 866-6380, e-mail boards@state.co.us or visit www.colorado.gov/governor/boards-commission.html.
Under Gov. Bill Ritter’s Executive Order B-004-07, the Council on Homelessness will meet regularly to:
· Streamline the administration of programs across agencies and jurisdictions to reduce duplication, consolidate availability of services and ease clients’ ability to access services;
· Streamline funding of homelessness programs to leverage existing resources more effectively;
· Facilitate tighter partnerships and linkages among service providers;
· Integrate state policy and coordinate relationships among all levels of public and non-profit agencies working to address homelessness;
· Increase access by homeless people and families to mainstream supportive services and resources for which they may be eligible;
· Solicit input and suggestions from faith communities, advocacy organizations, the business community, the concerned public and other governmental agencies on the most effective strategies to address homelessness;
· Assemble accurate data upon which strategies and policies should be based and against which outcomes can be measured;
· Identify best practices from other states in combating homelessness;
· Educate other involved agencies, the public and the legislature about the causes and consequences of homelessness; and
· Create comprehensive plans and develop effective collaborative strategies to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado.
The Council shall serve as the advisory body to the Governor on homeless issues and shall recommend such policies and programs as it believes will assist in preventing and, to the extent possible, ending homelessness in Colorado.
