Office of The Commissioner
Virgin Islands Interagency Council on Homelessness
"Charting the Course to End Chronic Homelessness in the U.S. Virgin Islands"
The Virgin Islands Interagency Council on Homelessness (VIICH) was established within the Department of Human Services by an Executive Order of Governor Charles W. Turnbull and serves as the single Territorial resource for homelessness planning and policy development.
The council is responsible for advising the Governor and the Legislature on issues related to the problems of persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and provide recommendations for joint cooperative efforts and policy initiatives in carrying out programs to meet the needs of the homeless.
The VIICH is also responsible for implementing a ten-year plan to end chronic homelessness with emphasis on preventing and ending chronic homelessness by the year 2012.
The council is composed of twenty-six (26) members appointed by the Governor and the Commissioner of Human Services serves as Chairperson.
Interagency Council Membership:
- Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor
- Liaison for Housing, Office of the Governor
- President, Legislature of the Virgin Islands
- Commissioner of Human Services - Team Leader
- Director, Community Block Grant - Asst. Team Leader
- Commissioner, Department of Labor
- Commissioner, Department of Health
- Director of Mental Health, Department of Health
- Chief Executive Officer, Schneider Regional Medical Center
- Chief Executive Officer, Juan F. Luis Hospital
- Commissioner, Housing, Parks and Recreation
- Commissioner, V.I. Police Department
- Director, Bureau of Corrections
- Attorney General of the Virgin Islands
- Executive Director, V.I. Housing Authority
- Director, Veterans Affairs
- Executive Director, United Way of St. Croix
- Executive Director, United Way of St. Thomas
- Homeless Representative St. Thomas/St. John
- Executive Director, Catholic Charities
- Executive Director, Methodist Training Outreach Center
- Family Alliance for Mentally Ill Representative
- President Chamber of Commerce STT/STJ
- President Chamber of Commerce STX
- Inter-faith Coalition of St. Croix
- Inter-faith Coalition of St. Thomas
The VIICH collaborates with and maintains on-going interaction with the Continuum of Care (CoC) to provide support and assistance in the application process. The Council meets at least once quarterly. Members serve a three year term and may be reappointed.