MISSOURI INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS

Notice: The Committee has requested to be called the Missouri Interagency Council on Homelessness (MICH) in order to be consistent with the naming convention suggested by our federal partners.  The committee is currently operating as the Missouri Governor's Committee to End Homelessness dba Missouri Interagency Council on Homelessness in lieu of a new Executive Order officially renaming the Committee.

Vision and Mission

Homelessness is unacceptable in Missouri.  It is the belief of the Governor's Committee to End Homelessness (GCEH) dba Missouri Interagency Council on Homelessness (MICH) that housing is a right, not a privilege.  Therefore, all individuals and families must have the right to safe, affordable housing in healthy communities with access to a network of supportive services.

The mission of the MICH is to prevent and end homelessness by establishing strategies to promote public and private coordination and collaboration, developing new strategies to evaluate and reallocate resources, removing barriers to accessing services, evaluating unmet needs and providing supportive services and affordable housing needs, implementing effective solutions to build economic security and promoting and supporting activities that prevent homelessness. 

Responsibilities

The MICH is charged with three tasks:

1. Raise awareness about homelessness issues in Missouri;

2. Advocate for housing, homelessness and service needs through resource collaboration;

 3. Facilitate the Balance of State (BoS) Continuum of Care (CoC) process. 

In addition the MICH ensures that there is a valid Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and conducts Regional Housing Team Meetings (RHTM) for the Balance of State Continuum of Care on a quarterly basis.

History

The MICH was established by Executive Order in 1987 by Governor John Ashcroft.  Originally named the Missouri Interagency Task Force on Homelessness, later the GCEH, and now the MICH, the council was formed in response to two federal initiatives/activities:

1. Establishment of the Federal Interagency Task Force

2. Passage of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987