Submission Deadline: Monday, June 3, 2024, 11:59 pm EST.
The 2024 Southern Conference on Homelessness and Housing (SCHH) is an opportunity for housing developers, homeless program managers, case managers, homeless advocates, state and local government representatives, providers of public and mental health services, and people with lived expertise to come together to address the ongoing issues of poverty and the lack of safe, decent, and affordable housing in our region. With your support, this conference will provide educational and training opportunities designed to improve housing and social service options for vulnerable individuals, including persons experiencing homelessness, the aging population, youth, veterans, LGBTQIA+, survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault, persons living with HIV/AIDS, persons with disabilities, and consumers with mental illness.
This year’s theme is “Building Bridges: Affordable Homes Catalyzing Community Change.” We know that safe, stable, affordable, and accessible homes keep families healthy, kids in school, and our communities growing. Since last year, we have witnessed communities across the South implement impactful programs and developments that serve and empower the most vulnerable. However, we still face challenges systematically, culturally, and practically. Together, we can unite for housing justice, discover best practices, explore innovative approaches to address homelessness and housing challenges, and catalyze sustainable and inclusive communities.
The SCHH Planning Team invites proposals highlighting community-led responses to ending homelessness, strategies for achieving equitable access to housing, community economic development innovations, and advocacy strategies that center on persons with lived experiences of homelessness and/or housing instability. We are also looking for proposals that describe work done with people involved, including those who have experienced housing instability and homelessness, the criminal justice/legal system, and the substance abuse/recovery system. Further, we would like to see proposals about race and gender equity. Lastly, we would like to have self-care sessions, as self-care continues to be a vital component of the conference so that participants feel nourished, rejuvenated, and equipped to counter the burnout that often occurs in our profession.
We welcome you to submit a proposal that aligns with our conference theme and goals. We also welcome proposals ranging from topics of interest to those new to the field and proposals that take a deeper dive for more seasoned professionals. As a part of your proposal, please describe how your session will be engaging and interactive for attendees. Also, please note there is a limit of two proposal submissions per primary presenter. Presentation Dates:
Proposal Limit: Each “primary presenter” is limited to two (2) proposal submissions.
Proposal Submission Type:
60-Minute Session: Conversation on Best Practices
Description: Presenters will facilitate an informal discussion describing a vignette from their practice that illustrates a thorny problem. Vignettes can be drawn from work with a client, a resource issue, an ethical dilemma, an administrative problem encountered, or perhaps a supervisory issue. You should provide an overview of the vignette, raise questions for consideration, and then facilitate a discussion whereby those present can develop a “best practices” solution. These sessions should be naturally informal and conversational and are expected to last throughout the assigned 60-minute timeframe. PowerPoint may be used in these sessions if so desired.
Workshop Session Abstract Topics of Interest:
Note: Conference participants tend to range from about half new to the field, with the other half being 20+ year professionals. Although all content levels are welcomed, participant surveys have indicated a desire to see more intermediate and advanced sessions offered.
Topics of Interest for Homelessness Include:
Innovative housing solutions for vulnerable individuals, including persons experiencing homelessness, the aging population, youth, veterans, LGBTQIA+, survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault, persons living with HIV/AIDS, persons with disabilities, and consumers with mental illness.
Training new and diverse staff in trauma-informed case management of homeless people.
Centering Persons with Lived Experience of Homelessness in Solutions to Homelessness.
Ensuring program design and service delivery reflect the value of racial equity.
Examples include braiding funds and scaling up programs to deliver holistic services during the pandemic.
Successful examples of racially equitable coordinated entry among CoCs include examples of how your CoC serves survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault through coordinated entry.
Re-envisioning prioritization and coordinated entry assessments.
Effective programs that provide housing and services to people who have survived domestic violence and trafficking.
Permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing successes.
Innovations in addressing the housing needs of rural populations, farm workers, and vulnerable populations.
Self-care for staff/clients.
Implementing new housing resources offered through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Best practices in HIMS and comparable database implementation, including a focus on using data to inform program strategy.
Best practices in grant administration and reporting during the pandemic.
Cultural competency in homeless service providers and expanding partnerships with culturally responsive organizations.
Nonprofit preparedness and planning for disasters and public health crises.
Topics of Interest for Affordable Housing Include:
Partnering with healthcare and social service organizations to offer supportive services at affordable housing developments.
Sustainable development practices for new construction or renovation of single or multi-family homes, including energy efficiency, solar, and weatherization opportunities.
Collaborations for neighborhood redevelopment, including public housing authorities, health providers such as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), transportation providers, and other partners.
Financial resources for small-scale, affordable housing development in rural communities.
Accessing the resources available through your State Housing Agency
Best practices in property management and resident services.
Sustainable housing models for extremely low-income earning households.
Community organizing – engaging low-income communities to have their voices heard.
Use of local housing trust funds.
Telling Our Story – communicating impact and building awareness.
Creative adaptive reuse of the commercial, religious, historical, or blighted property.
Braiding funding sources to address the affordable housing crisis.
LIHTC usage in developing affordable housing.
Presenters must submit their presentation slides and handouts by Monday, September 23, 2024. Receipt of these materials before the conference makes it easier for event planners to respond to conference participants requesting materials in an alternate format due to a disability or an expressed accommodation. These resources will be available to conference participants through the conference app and our Learning Management System (LMS). ) and made available to event participants after the conference through our Learning Management System (LMS).
You will be required to select from one or all the options below:
This presenter is a faculty member of an accredited undergraduate or graduate school of social work.
This presenter has received specialized graduate or postgraduate-level training in the subject taught in the program.
Abstracts must be submitted by a “Primary/Lead Presenter,” and conference sessions must be presented by the individuals noted within the submitted abstract. Co-presenters are not required to meet the parameters noted above.
Professional Development Competency Areas: Professional Development will be guided by general competencies related to Social Work Practice and Homelessness and Housing Services, focusing on creating more housing opportunities for vulnerable people.
Advance and support housing providers and allied professionals to become leaders in housing and homelessness.
Promote certification, credentialing, mentorship, and supervision
Support allied professionals in housing
Promote enhanced Housing Practice to improve the health and optimal well-being of persons who have experienced homelessness and housing instability.
Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Demonstrate knowledge and competency around the intersection of medical care and psychosocial approaches to promote eviction prevention, access to housing, and equitable well-being.
Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice, particularly to promote health and racial equity among persons unjustly impacted by housing instability and homelessness.
Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities to intentionally engage persons with lived experience.
Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities, including health and race equity and social injustice.
Intervening with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities Competency; and
Promote cross-disciplinary practices that relate to and enhance social work practice.
Promote practice-informed and emerging research/evaluation.
Research and evaluate practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities.
Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice.
Increase knowledge of evidence-based and promising practices; and
Promote health and racial equity through action-oriented research and evaluation, including the intentional involvement of lived experience.
Promote Advocacy/Policy to address social injustice, health, racial inequities, and systemic racism perpetuating ongoing homelessness and housing inequities.
Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice, including systems change and innovation to end systemic racism, which continues to drive homelessness.
Additional Resource: 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards for Baccalaureate and Master’s Social Work Program, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
Link: 2022-EPAS.pdf (cswe.org)
Note: The referenced Fall 2021 version has been released in draft form as a follow-up to the 2015 publication.
**PREVIEW OF ABSTRACT FORM – TO BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY**
Section 1: Presenters and Co-Presenter(s)
Presenter's first name, last name, credentials, and email address. The primary presenter will be the first presenter on the list.
Biographical Sketch and Credentials
Text limited to 75-100 words. This information should include what qualifies you to present on this topic.
Section 2: Abstract Narrative & Summary (Required)
Proposal Title: Include an exciting and engaging title that indicates the content of your proposed session to the audience.
Keywords: You will be asked to provide 3-5 keywords to help us categorize this session. For example, you may list terms that describe a specific population, type of practice, type of intervention, funding issues, housing support, etc.
Proposal Summary: Your proposal summary in this category should not exceed 350 words. Describe how your session will be interactive for attendees.
Content Level
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Proposed Topic Category: Please indicate which content type most closely aligns with your session to help us better categorize which type of CE it is eligible for.
Section 3: Learning Objective(s) (Required)
Provide at minimum three (3) learning objectives that are clear, measurable, and achievable.
We will not accept “N/A or not applicable.”
(1) Each learning outcome is measurable and/or observable.
(2) Each learning outcome illustrates knowledge or a skill that a participant will be able to demonstrate after completing the course
(3) Each learning outcome is stated identically in all promotional materials and in session evaluation.
Complete the sentence, 'Upon completion; the participant will be able to….' Use action words to begin this learning objective, such as list, describe, define, demonstrate, conduct, etc.
For more information on how to effectively write objectives, click here: ASWB Acceptable Learning Objectives.
Section 4: Citations (Required)
Please include a minimum of three (3) up-to-date (within the last ten years) citations in the APA-approved format to support your work. We will not accept “N/A or not applicable.” Click here for an example of APA format: Purdue University Writing Center. Required for all presenters:
Upon submission, participants must check this statement: education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program.
I know the requirement to make my presentation interactive to qualify participants to receive Social Work Continuing Education credits per ASWB.
Collaborative Solutions, Inc. (ACE Provider Approval #1548) is approved to offer continuing social work Organizations, not individual courses, and are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Collaborative Solutions, Inc. maintains responsibility for this course(s). ACE Provider Approval Period: 05/16/2021– 05/16/2024.
Special Accommodations:
If receiving the following information in an alternate format is needed or determined to be helpful, please contact Theresa@collaborative-solutions.net. Please allow time for staff to receive, confirm receipt, and respond to any special accommodation requested.
