MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2021 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Human Services; Appropriations
By: Representative Summers
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES; TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN COMPONENTS THAT MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO ACCEPT FUNDING FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM; TO PROHIBIT THE DEPARTMENT FROM CONTRACTING WITH A PRIVATE ENTITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE SUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Department of Human Services shall establish and implement a grant program for the purpose of providing assistance to chronically homeless individuals and families in procuring temporary and permanent housing in order that those persons, removed from life on the streets, can focus on learning and putting into practice the skills necessary to live meaningful lives and become productive members of the community.
(2) The program established under this section must provide for no less than the following:
(a) A clear set of eligibility criteria setting forth the requirements for participation in the grant program;
(b) An outreach and engagement component that helps identify homeless persons who may qualify for assistance under the program and which promotes efforts to build relationships between outreach workers and the homeless, particularly runaways and street youth;
(c) A rapid re-housing component that focuses on housing identification, rent, utility and move-in assistance;
(d) Collaboration with existing state and federal programs that provide for the delivery of services and treatments that are needed by those persons experiencing chronic homelessness, including programs providing substance abuse treatment, mental health services, screening and diagnostic services, primary health services, job training and educational services; and
(e) An educational component to increase community awareness of homelessness and to coordinate partnerships within communities aimed at preventing, reducing and ultimately ending the cycle of homelessness.
(3) The Department of Human Services shall utilize available personnel and space of the department in administering the program created pursuant to this section. The department is encouraged to collaborate with other public entities to achieve maximum results in effectively reducing homelessness in communities throughout the state. However, the department may not contract with any private entity for the administration of the grant program.
(4) The department shall identify and submit applications for financial grants that may be available from federal and private sources to help support the program created under this section. The department may accept gifts, donations and grants of any kind made for the support of the program and may allocate such gifts, donations and grants exclusively toward services provided under the program.
(5) Subject to the availability of funding, the Legislature shall appropriate to the Mississippi Department of Human Services such funds as may be necessary to carry out the intent of this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.