MONTICELLO – Something
new and something old are components of a homeless strategy outlined by
Sullivan County’s Deputy Human Services Commissioner. William Moon
explained his ideas at Thursday’s county legislature Health and
Family Services Committee meeting.
Moon said they plan to use a $250,000 grant to open a “homeless
housing intake center” on the county’s human services campus
in Town of Liberty.
“It will take all of the homeless throughout the county and provide
all of our partner, whether law enforcement, human services or emergencies
or whatever. That’s where the homeless will be brought, 24/7/365.”
Moon said for now, this is intended to service homeless individuals,
not families. Included in the mix would be clients Moon described as “challenging.”
That’s where he said an old model could come back into play.
“Workers were housed in little cottages and they did various jobs
around the county. We’d like to duplicate that on the campus and
we have some very hard to place individuals that are rather challenging
and have been for years. Those persons will be housed in the cottage model.”
Moon said he is working with several county departments and officials
including the county manager and public works to see what need to be done
to get going, and what money is available in the budget.
