JANUARY 2007
MHSA presents at Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Meeting
Advocates and service providers discussed innovative approaches to ending homelessness -- including Housing First and employment initiatives aimed at reintegrating formerly homeless individuals back into the community -- during a workshop at the Massachusetts Municipal Association's Annual Meeting on January 12 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Panelists included Dr. Jessie Gaeta, MHSA Physician Advocacy Fellow (pictured); Tom Washington, Brockton Mainspring Coalition for the Homeless (pictured, far right); Karen LaFrazia, St. Francis House; and Matt Simmonds, Simtech Solutions (pictured). Robert Martin, president of the Local Officials Human Services Council, moderated the workshop. During the workshop, entitled Homelessness: Best Practices and Your Community, Dr. Gaeta presented on Housing First and the Home and Healthy for Good initiative, a Housing First pilot program that the Legislature funded in the FY07 state budget.
From the website of the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA): "The Massachusetts Municipal Association is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association that provides advocacy, training, publications, research and other services to Massachusetts cities and towns. The MMA is the only statewide organization that brings municipal officials together to establish unified policies, to advocate these policies, and to ensure the effective delivery of services to community residents...The MMA’s Annual Meeting & Trade Show is the largest regular gathering of Massachusetts local government officials."
