A clear and accurate understanding of homelessness in New Hampshire is essential to achieving the goal of eliminating homelessness and achieving “permanent, sustainable and adequate housing for every resident in our State.”, as articulated in New Hampshire’s Ten Year Plan To End Homelessness.   The New Hampshire Homeless Management Information System (NH-HMIS) project is a key tool in developing that understanding.  Funded primarily through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD), and administered by The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Bureau of Homeless and Housing Services (BHHS), the NH-HMIS project continues a multi-year collaborative partnership of the three Continua of Care serving the homeless population of New Hampshire. Having completed the initial implementation of the HMIS system across the State, the system continues to be refined. State and HUD-funded homeless assistance programs are required to enter data about whom they serve, and 100% of state and HUD-funded emergency shelters, transitional and SHP permanent housing programs are participating in HMIS.

New Hampshire DHHS continues to partner with the three New Hampshire Continua of Care (CoC) to confront the issue of homelessness.  As we face these unprecedented budgetary challenges, there have been a number of positive initiatives undertaken by DHHS to increase services for the homeless population of the state. The BHHS received $4,612,322 in funding through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to provide assistance to eligible individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The BHHS continues to support and manage innovative programs that provide assistance to homeless individuals and families in obtaining permanent housing, such as the Housing Security Guarantee Program and the Homeless Housing and Access Revolving Loan Fund. The issue of homeless veterans is being addressed through a joint military and DHHS initiative. The leadership team includes directors of the VA Medical Center, the New Hampshire National Guard, and the Associate Commissioner of DHHS. Staff from the BHHS and the Manchester VA Medical Center co-chair a Homeless Veterans Subcommittee, which is developing a strategic plan to eliminate homelessness among veterans in New Hampshire.

For more information about statewide activities confronting homelessness, please access our annual report through the link below:

http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/OHHTS/LIBRARY/Program+Report-Plan/ann-rpts.htm

For other information about resources and assistance for those who are homeless, or at risk of being homeless, please access the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness web site below:

http://www.home4hope.com/