Dorset Council Ends Bed and Breakfast Use for Homeless Families

Various initiatives across the U.S. and U.K. are demonstrating progress and challenges in addressing homelessness. Dorset Council has nearly eliminated the need for bed and breakfast accommodations for homeless families through early interventions and partnerships with local organizations, though rough sleeper numbers remain steady. In Tulsa, a new Momentum Program combines shelter with behavioral health and substance use disorder services to help men achieve independence, filling gaps left by other shelter programs. In Swindon, England, homelessness has increased significantly, with rising numbers of homeless individuals and children; local charity Threshold supports rough sleepers and raises awareness through a film highlighting the causes and stigmas of homelessness. Additionally, the Homeless Outreach Street Team in Woodland, California, helped reunite a stranded unhoused man with his family, preventing long-term homelessness. These examples underscore the importance of coordinated support, prevention, and addressing underlying issues like mental health and substance use.