The Seattle Human Services Department is pursuing a number of community-wide initiatives to help us serve the people of Seattle and to reach our goals.
Communities Supporting Safe & Stable Housing
Shifting the paradigm: developing a new approach to providing and investing in homeless services
Mayor McGinn announced on Friday (May 11) the release of draft Communities Supporting Safe & Stable Housing Investment Plan. The plan presents vision for the City’s future investments in emergency shelter, transitional housing, day centers/hygiene centers and supportive services for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
This initiative has brought together community members, shelter and service providers, businesses, faith communities, the Committee to End Homelessness, and other stakeholders in meetings and discussions for the past year. Much of the preliminary planning and community outreach occurred in 2011.
To comment on the draft plan, please send your written comments by 5 p.m. May 31, 2012 to David Takami, Seattle Human Services Department, PO Box 34215, Seattle, WA 98124-4215 or David.Takami@seattle.gov.
For latest information on the Investment Plan and subsequent Request for Investment process, please visit HSD’s blog.
Ending Homelessness/The Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness
The City of Seattle is one of three major funders of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County and the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness, along with King County and United Way of King County.
The vision behind the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County emerged in 2004 when a broad-based coalition of more than 30 leaders representing United Way, businesses, faith-based communities, housing and human services organizations, homeless individuals and governments came together to develop “A Roof Over Every Bed in King County: Our Community’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness.” The plan tackles the tough issues related to homelessness and provides a clear vision and action plan to improve the broad spectrum of services for homeless individuals and families. It inspires a unity of purpose and facilitates cooperation and better alignment among public, private and nonprofit sectors.
For more information visit:
Promoting Healthy Aging
As part of our goal to improve the physical and mental health and well-being of older adults and people with disabilities, Aging and Disability Services in the Seattle Human Services Department has embarked on a number of healthy aging programs, working closely with our community partners.
Studies show that preventive measures such as increasing physical activity, improving nutrition and conducting health screenings go a long way toward managing chronic conditions and reducing associated disabilities as people age. Our healthy aging initiatives emphasize chronic disease self-management and health behavior change.
For more information, visit our Promoting Healthy Aging Initiatives Web page.
Improving the Health of Seattle Residents
Public health services are vital to the well-being and health of families and neighborhoods. While King County government is responsible for providing core public health services to residents countywide, City funds are used to “fill in the gaps” for Seattle residents, making more services available to more people and improving access to health care.
Our comprehensive approach to public health involves working closely with Public Health – Seattle & King County, the Community Health Centers, King County Community and Human Services and other organizations to improve the health of the entire community.
For more information, visit our Public Health Initiatives and Funding Web page.
Addressing Youth Violence
The Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, is a community-based, multi-agency strategy to address youth violence in Seattle. The City will invest approximately $8 million during 2009 – 2010 to focus on youth, ages 12 – 17, who are at the highest risk of perpetuating or being victimized by violence. The Initiative’s efforts will be coordinated through three neighborhood networks in Central, Southeast, and Southwest Seattle where indicators of future violent behaviors, such as discipline rates in schools, are the highest.
The goals of the Initiative are to achieve a 50% reduction in certain court referrals of juveniles and a 50% reduction in suspensions and expulsions from selected middle schools due to violence related incidents.
For more information, visit our Youth Violence Prevention Web page.
Ending Domestic Violence
The City of Seattle works to keep all adults and children safe from domestic violence and sexual assault. We help victims and survivors create safe and violence-free lives, and heal from the trauma of abuse or sexual assault.
A citywide investment of $15 million annually in criminal justice and victim services programs helps victims and survivors gain safety, holds offenders accountable, builds community support to end abuse and violence, and ensures that all citizens have access to critical services. This involves collaborating with numerous private and public agencies to provide many services and programs, convening elected leaders and community partners to work together, and seeking public and private funding to enhance programs and services for Seattle residents.
For more information, visit our Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Prevention Web page.
One-stop Public Assistance/PeoplePoint
PeoplePoint helps people with low and moderate incomes apply for a number of benefit programs — free or reduced-cost child care and preschool, reduced energy and utility bills, food and health insurance — all at the same time in the same place.
This program — jointly sponsored by the City of Seattle Human Services Department and Public Health - Seattle & King County — is centered on the customer. We provide you with information, assess your eligibility, and help you apply for the benefits for which you might be eligible.
For more information, visit our Financial Assistance/PeoplePoint Web page
