Statement from Secretary Sebelius on becoming the new Chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness

Yesterday, I was pleased to take on the role of Chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. I look forward to building on the hard work of this year’s Chair, Secretary Solis, whose accomplishments include: developing a plan to increase access to mainstream benefits and launching Opening Doors-the nation’s first-ever comprehensive strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness.

The implementation of Opening Doors over the last year has given our federal agencies an opportunity to work together on an issue we all care about. Each member of the Council brings a unique approach to this problem and through this collaboration we’re laying the groundwork for future successes with better data collection, better reporting, and better use of mainstream resources. By engaging states and local communities in the plan’s goals and strategies, we’re making sure everyone is in agreement as we move forward.

While I’m proud to say we are making progress, homelessness remains a serious issue and there is more work to do. As I take on the role of Chair for the year ahead, I am looking forward to building on our current foundation as we work to end homelessness altogether. In these tough economic times, continued cross-agency collaboration is more important than ever to help those who are homeless.

Source: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/12/20111214a.html