Homeless Advocates Set 2013 Policy Priorities

The executive directors and policy staff representing many of the nation’s leading homeless advocacy organizations met yesterday as the Homeless Advocates Group (HAG) to set policy priorities for 2013. Each member organization of HAG has set its own independent set of issues. The goal of this meeting was to reach consensus around a set of common policy priorities that collectively the group could both support and promote within and among each organization’s own allies.

The policy priorities chosen were:

     1)       National Housing Trust Fund

     2)       Criminalization of Homelessness

     3)       Affordable Care Act Rollout and Implementation

     4)       Preservation of Federal Funds Targeted to and for Those Experiencing Homelessness

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) lobbied hard for the Criminalization of Homelessness to be made a top priority and are very pleased with the progress made during this prioritization process. NCH was represented by Neil Donovan, executive director and John Harrison, NCH Speakers Bureau and the Washington DC based Homeless Peoples Advocacy Network (HPAN) group SHARC.

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) supports today’s Supreme Court ruling enabling the expansion of medical coverage to those most in need. Homeless people suffer from multiple health problems at a higher rate than those who aren’t, yet 55% have no medical insurance. Increased access to Medicaid will provide medical services to the country’s most vulnerable citizens who would otherwise remain uncovered. Such an increase will facilitate management and recovery from untreated medical problems, as well as prevent many from entering homelessness due to unmanageable medical bills. While NCH applauds this initial step towards change, it will continue to advocate for a health care system that guarantees access and eliminates all financial barriers to health care services for all Americans. NCH looks forward to discussing equitable and practical solutions to ensure that all homeless people have equal access to medical coverage.

Here is the Supreme Court’s full decision.

The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) supports today’s Supreme Court ruling upholding sound healthcare legislation and affirming individual mandates. Today’s ruling brings us closer to recognizing that all Americans should have access to medical care, regardless of financial or health status.  The individual mandate will increase affordable healthcare access to more of our country’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens.  While NCH applauds this initial step towards change, it will continue to advocate for a health care system that guarantees access and eliminates all financial barriers to health care services for all Americans.  NCH looks forward to discussing equitable and practical solutions to ensure that all homeless people have access to medical coverage.

Here is the Supreme Court’s full decision.