On August 17, the City of Greeley’s Housing and Homeless Solutions Department held its second community update on housing and homelessness. The event was titled “Housing First: Why This Works to End Homelessness.”
Dr. Sam Tsemberis presented the Housing First model, which he created. Many places, including Greeley, use this program to help people who are homeless and struggling with mental health issues and addiction. Housing First gives them a place to live immediately and support that focuses on their needs.
“I am thrilled to have had Dr. Tsemberis present about the Housing First model in Greeley,” said Assistant City Manager Juliana Kitten. “The Housing First model works. It positively affects the lives of those needing housing and can improve the entire community. Leaders across Colorado now better understand the model and the tools to put in place in their communities.”
Community members and representatives from all corners of Colorado visited Greeley for this special event. The Housing and Homeless Solutions team encourages those who couldn’t attend to watch a recorded video of the presentation at SpeakUpGreeley.com under Homelessness and Housing or the City’s YouTube channel.
In addition to the workshop, Dr. Tsemberis met with Greeley’s Housing and Homeless Solutions Foundations Team. He also held roundtable discussions with service providers and leadership from local businesses and real estate.
About the Presenter
Dr. Tsemberis, Ph.D., is a clinical-community psychologist who originated the “Housing First” model, an evidence-based program with a well-documented record for effectively ending homelessness for individuals diagnosed with mental illness and addiction. Housing First programs are successfully implemented across the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Dr. Tsemberis has decades of experience in operations, training, and research. He currently serves as CEO of the Pathways Housing First Institute, as a faculty member at UCLA Department of Psychiatry, and Executive Director of the UCLA-VA Center of Excellence for Veterans Homelessness and Recovery. He has published extensively on topics of mental health, addiction, and homelessness and received broad recognition for his work from the American Psychiatric and American Psychological Associations, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and others.
For more information about the City’s efforts, visit greeleygov.com/homelessandhousingservices. You can also share your thoughts about homelessness in Greeley at SpeakUpGreeley.com.
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