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Middle Tennessee State homeless program to be used as model

Service providers and volunteers speak with Christopher King, a homeless individual living across from Red Bank Elementary School, as they perform the annual Point-in-Time Count of the homeless population Thursday, January 24, 2019 in Red Bank, Tennessee. The PIT count surveys individuals experiencing homelessness in order to better target services needed by homeless individuals. Service providers and volunteers speak with Christopher King, a homeless individual living across from Red Bank Elementary School, as they perform the annual Point-in-Time Count of the homeless population Thursday, January 24, 2019 in Red Bank, Tennessee. The PIT count surveys individuals experiencing homelessness in order to better target services needed by homeless individuals.

By Associated Press September 26, 2019 1 min read

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — A Middle Tennessee State University program that helps homeless students will be a model for other state schools.

MTSU says a new state law requires state-funded post-secondary educational institutions to designate liaisons to homeless students and develop programs to provide them access to housing.

MSTU’s program began in 2008. Officials there are creating a manual on starting and securing community resources for homeless students programs.

Danielle Rochelle, outreach and support programs coordinator for the MT One Stop program, verifies which MTSU students are homeless under federal standards when each semester starts. Her office extends aid to homeless students, unaccompanied minors and students aging out of foster care.

Rochelle oversees a student food pantry and the Safety Net Fund, which helps students with housing, food, health, transportation and other needs.