Point-in-Time Count: An Annual Reminder of the Depth of Homelessness in KC
A collection of social workers and homeless advocates gathered recently in a meeting room at the reStart shelter just of east of Kansas City's downtown to train for the annual point-in-time count of homeless individuals. The count is used to identify the need towards matching individuals with services. I joined the evening training session, parking my car on a side street on the cold, windy night. As I walked around the corner of the large men's and women's homeless shelter, I passed one or two people leaning against the building for a cigarette, and noticed a few others scattered around outside. Inside reStart Executive Director Evie Craig invited people to pizza and lemonade while setting up the slide presentation. After people settled into their chairs we introduced ourselves. The meeting included several clinicians from area agencies and newly-employeed reStart social workers, including a trio of Street Outreach workers sitting in the back. I imagine the young work...