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Durbin to co-chair Homeless Council of the Wabash Valley
Lea Durbin, executive director at Beyond Homeless, Inc. has been elected to co-chair the Homeless Council of the Wabash Valley (HCWV) beginning January 2023.
The HCWV is one of 16 regional planning councils in the Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care. Also known as Region 7, counties included are Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo. The council meets regularly to develop and implement strategies for homelessness alleviation.
The purpose of the HCWV is to align with the Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care roles and responsibilities outlined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009.
The guiding principles of the Homeless Council of the Wabash Valley include a commitment to:
Ending homelessness with a solution-driven and consumer-based approach that aligns with federal, state and local practices that are evidence-based or emerging models that can be measured;
Fiscal stewardship;
Investment for outcome measurement, analyzing, performance and incorporating information into future decision-making and strategizing;
Soliciting and incorporating feedback from members regarding local needs and priorities;
Ethical collaboration, respecting the importance of communication, transparency and accountability;
Promoting community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness;
Assisting in coordinating funding related to ending homelessness for individuals and families;
Promoting access to services for homeless individuals and families experiencing homelessness; and
Providing the infrastructure for optimizing self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
Leading Beyond Homeless, Inc. since mid-November 2019, Durbin navigated the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and expanded programs and services offered. Durbin also sought to build partnerships with community organizations that provide additional resources and services to the individuals and families experiencing homelessness, or are at risk of homelessness, in the communities the shelter serves.
A member since 2019, Durbin has participated in revising and updating regional coordinated entry policies and procedures, as well as participated in collaborative discussions with member agencies regarding the growing needs in the communities served by the HCWV and how to meet those needs.
As co-chair of the HCWV, Durbin aims to bring additional visibility and awareness of the differences between rural, suburban and urban homelessness, while working alongside regional partners to identify solutions tailored to the needs of the rural communities within the region.
To learn more about Beyond Homeless, visit www.beyondhomelessinc.org.