I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3636 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant program to 
provide supportive services in permanent supportive housing for chron-
ically homeless individuals and families, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. FILNER, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, 
Mr. STARK, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. HOLT) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a grant 
program to provide supportive services in permanent sup-
portive housing for chronically homeless individuals and 
families, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Services for Ending 
Long-Term Homelessness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:18 Sep 24, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3636.IH
H3636
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(1) Nationally, on any given night, there are 
approximately 124,000 people who are experiencing 
chronic homelessness, including some families with 
children. Chronically homeless people often live in 
shelters or on the streets for years at a time, experi-
ence repeated episodes of homelessness without 
achieving housing stability, or cycle between home-
lessness, jails, mental health facilities, and hospitals. 
(2) In 2003, the President’s New Freedom 
Commission on Mental Health recommended the de-
velopment and implementation of a comprehensive 
plan designed to facilitate access to 150,000 units of 
permanent supportive housing for consumers and 
families who are chronically homeless. The Commis-
sion found that affordable housing alone is insuffi-
cient for many people with severe mental illness, and 
that flexible, mobile, individualized support services 
are also necessary to support and sustain consumers 
in their housing. Since the Commission made the 
recommendations, approximately 60,000 units of 
permanent supportive housing have been developed 
and currently another 30,000 are under develop-
ment. However, funding for the services continues to 
be an ongoing problem even with respect to existing 
service providers. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
02:18 Sep 24, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3636.IH
H3636
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
(3) By implementing permanent supportive 
housing, communities are making progress toward 
ending chronic homelessness. 
(4) Permanent supportive housing is a proven 
and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness. 
A 2007 study, of progress in Portland, Oregon, in 
ending chronic homelessness, found that the city and 
county saved $15,000 per person involved per year 
by housing chronically homeless individuals. Also, a 
2009 study in Seattle illustrated that one program 
saved $29,388 per person involved per year by im-
plementing permanent supportive housing. 
(5) Current programs for funding services in 
permanent supportive housing, other than those ad-
ministered by the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, were not designed to be closely 
coordinated with housing resources, nor were they 
designed to meet the multiple needs of people who 
are chronically homeless. 
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATOR OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE 
AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINIS-
TRATION. 
Section 501(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 290aa(d)) is amended— 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
03:15 Sep 24, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3636.IH
H3636
jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS