History

  • 1996: The Corporation for Supportive Housing engaged health plans and human services agencies, along with advocates and people experiencing homelessness, to design a model to house people with long histories of homelessness and improve their health and well-being.

  • 1996: On June 25, the blueprint for the Supportive Housing and Managed Care Pilot (commonly referred to as the ‘Pilot’) was released.

  • 1999: Hearth Connection was created to maintain the balance of interests of all the Pilot’s stakeholders while championing, administering and evaluating the Supportive Housing and Managed Care Pilot.

  • 2000: In the 2000 Legislative Session, Minnesota Legislature made its first investment in the Pilot.

  • 2001: Operation of the Pilot began in two counties, Ramsey and Blue Earth.

  • 2004: Hearth Connection worked with the State and many community stakeholders on the development of the Minnesota Business Plan to End Long-Term Homelessness.

  • 2005: In the 2005 Legislative Session, Hearth Connection helped secure $10 million for the new Long-Term Homeless Service Fund to finance support services in supportive housing.
  • 2006: The State awarded funding for five regional long-term homeless projects, including three managed by Hearth Connection in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Northeastern Minnesota, and Southern Minnesota. Hearth Connection expanded its work from 2 counties to 26.

  • 2007: The Pilot officially ends on June 30.

  • 2009: The Boston-based National Center on Family Homelessness completed an evaluation of the Pilot. The evaluation is one of the most comprehensive research studies on supportive housing. It looked at both families and single adults in urban and rural areas.