Who is the Continuum of Care?
We are a consortium of many agencies in the tri-county area, each of which has a different mission such as mental health, community government, energy assistance, children’s services, senior services, and so forth. Based a number of studies, this consortium has concluded that in this area, the lack of housing is exacerbated by conditions that often characterize the entire region. These include poverty, unemployment, lower high school graduation rates, the absence of public transportation, and limited resources. Another contributing factor is that in the Appalachian culture, homeless people will often find refuge with friends and family, even if the housing is well below sub-standard, over-crowded, and temporary. Or they will occupy abandoned RV’s, trailers, and farm buildings without electricity, heat, or plumbing. Finding and identifying the homeless in these situations is critical, especially for people with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities. The region is fortunate to
