In this edition:
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MICH Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 24
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See how State funding is improving shelters on MICH’s April webinar
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DHS is hiring for a Homelessness Programs Manager; applications due by March 25
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“African Americans and Recovery: sociocultural perspectives” webinar on March 26
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LGBTQIA+ community members invited to help shape the next Minnesota State Suicide Prevention Plan during April 10 focus group
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Minnesotans partner to launch new resource transforming systems through authentic lived experience partnerships
- Listening with community
The next Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness (MICH) meeting is being held on Tuesday, March 24 from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Register at https://tinyurl.com/MICHCouncilMarch2026 to receive a link to watch the meeting virtually.
These meetings are open to the public and we hope you join and listen in to the Council’s discussion. There is no public testimony during the meeting; however, you can always share your thoughts with us by email or the Contact Us Form on our website.
Join us for the next MICH webinar on Wednesday, April 1 from 1 - 2 p.m. If you have any questions about your webinar registration, please email dan.gregory@state.mn.us
On the April 1 webinar, hear how Minnesota’s historic investment in shelter capital funding is bringing new capacity and more dignified experiences for guests at shelters across the state.
Though MICH webinars are not the ideal place to address individual circumstances, MICH is committed to following up if people do raise specific questions or concerns.
The beginning 10 minutes of each monthly webinar will be held to hear from the Speakers Bureau. Anyone who has lived experience of homelessness is welcome to sign-up to share through the Speakers Bureau. This is open time each month for lived experience experts to share ideas and feedback with the webinar audience.
The next webinar Speakers Bureau will be on Wednesday, April 1 at 1 p.m. There is a monthly prep session held the Tuesday before the webinar. The prep session will be Tuesday, March 31 from 11-11:30 a.m. Follow this link to join the prep session. This is an ongoing opportunity that happens each month. Sign up is required. Not able to make that time work, but still want to share on the Speakers Bureau? Please email dan.gregory@state.mn.us or call/text Dan at 651-983-9985 to schedule a conversation or with any questions.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is hiring a Homelessness Programs Manager to support program-level policy and program development for homeless assistance programs as part of the Grant Programs Team of the Homelessness, Housing and Support Services Administration (HHSSA).
Applications are due by Wednesday, March 25. Click here to learn more about this position and how to apply.
This position is primarily focused on the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund (LTHSSF) and collaboratively supports all Homelessness, Housing and Support Services (HHSSA) homeless assistance programs, including THP, HSASMI, FSH, PATH, CHAP, SLMH, CLI, ESP, ESG, HYA, and Safe Harbor and Housing. The position provides coordination with external and internal partners and contributes substantially to shaping statewide efforts that improve housing stability for people experiencing homelessness across Minnesota, including people with substance use disorders, mental health issues, and developmental, physical, or other disabilities.
The Office of Addiction and Recovery (OAR) is hosting a webinar featuring Dr. Jonathan Lofgren, PhD, LADC.
This 90-minute interactive webinar will offer the unique personal exploration of addiction and recovery from Dr. Jonathan Lofgren’s lived experience, professional experience, and scholarly experience as an African American with 38 years of long-term recovery, 20 years of direct service in the addictions field, and 20 years of training, teaching and research in addictions and co-occurring disorders.
Participants will be invited to explore how addictions have impacted African Americans, and how African Americans find treatment and recovery along varied pathways. The webinar will also seek input into the meaning of Recovery for African Americans through critical analysis of the African American definition and principles of recovery.
Date: Thursday, March 26
Time: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), in collaboration with the Minnesota Suicide Prevention Taskforce, is inviting LGBTQIA+ community members to join a focus group conversation to help shape the next Minnesota State Suicide Prevention Plan.
Date: April 10
Time: 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Your voice matters. What you share will help guide the priorities and strategies of MDH, partner state agencies, and the Minnesota Suicide Prevention Taskforce, shaping how they work together and where they focus efforts to support mental health and suicide prevention in Minnesota.
The Lived Experience Grove is a new web-based resource designed to deepen and sustain equitable lived experience partnerships with system change efforts. The goal is to impact the field and support lived experience partnerships in three key ways:
- Translating Theory into Action: It is designed to move beyond theoretical learning by guiding participants through resources and planning tools to facilitate actionable skill development and meet real-time needs.
- Strengthening Systemic Conditions: The framework will help partners strengthen their understanding of the relational and structural conditions necessary for truly equitable partnerships, focusing efforts at the system level.
- Cultivating Shared Community Ownership: By creating a widely accessible and trusted resource, they aim for the framework to be held by multiple people and communities. This shared ownership ensures it is seen not just as an organizational tool, but as a community asset that continually bolsters and supports lived experience efforts nationwide.
Staff from multiple MICH agencies were honored to participate in conversations about housing stability in Winona recently. With more than 40 participants, this session sponsored by Engage Winona through the MN StoryCollective focused on hearing stories shared by community members and exploring how state and local partners can create or adapt policies to meet the identified housing needs.
MICH staff were joined by colleagues from Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development, Department of Human Services, Office of Addiction and Recovery, Minnesota Housing, and Minnesota Management and Budget.
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