Coordinators train to count Missouri homeless population for 2024
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A few dozen coordinators from across the state gathered virtually on Thursday to receive training ahead of a count of Missouri's homeless population.
The Point in Time Count is a census of those who are unhoused on a single night. According to the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care website, this count is done by every community across the nation at some point during the last 10 days of January, at least every other year.
According to the 2023 Point in Time Count, more than 650,000 were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says that is a 12% increase from the 2022 count.
The 2023 numbers showed 620 people in Region 5 were reported homeless, which was reported as the most of any region, according to information from MO BoS CoC’s website. That's up 16.3% from 2022, when 533 people were counted as homeless.
Boone County had the highest 2023 total for a county in the state with 320, while Clay County -- which is in the Kansas City area -- had the second-most with 131. The data set does not include St. Louis County, the City of St. Louis, Jackson County and other select areas.
Of the 620 people who were reported as homeless in Region 5, 455 were sheltered and 165 were unsheltered. A "sheltered" individual is a person living in a shelter at the time of the count. "Unsheltered" individuals are people who are living in places not normally used for sleeping, such as a car, tent or park bench.
The count will begin 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, and end at 7 a.m. the next day.
Kari Utterback, of the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, said all volunteers have to go through training.
A survey is used for the count and includes questions such as what caused that person to become homeless and where they stayed the night.
Nathaniel Meece --Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care planning director -- said Thursday's more than 50 people attended the virtual training session. He said the organization expects to see a lot more people at its next training session, which is set for 2-4 p.m. Monday. More information can be found online.
During the training, Coordinator Christain Freeman said the count gives organizers a picture of their community and the numbers are reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
During the training, Freeman went over different types of homelessness, the survey, what to bring during the count, where volunteers should go and how to submit the survey results. Throughout the nearly two-hour presentation, organizers stressed the importance of safety and said volunteers should not go anywhere they do not feel safe.
Utterback is also a part of the Boone County Coalition to End Homelessness, which is hosting Project Homeless Connect. The event -- held 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the First Baptist Church -- will help connect unhoused individuals with resources and a hot meal. About 120 people attended its previous event in June.
"It's a one-stop shop where folks experiencing homelessness can go and get so many resources in one place," Utterback said. "This allows all of the agencies that work with folks experiencing homelessness on the regular to be in one location, and to make sure we have the most up-to-date contact information, to find out where they're staying and how to best get ahold of them in the future."
Utterback said Project Homeless Connect is looking for additional volunteers. A flyer with information about volunteering can be found on the organization's Facebook page.
"It's really beautiful for volunteers to be able to interact," Utterback said. "A reaction I've seen quite a bit [from people experiencing homelessness] is that 'I forgot this many people cared' and so I think that's a really beautiful reaction for anyone to remember that they're worthy."
