Page 25 - LTHC Publics Catalog, Spring 2018 Update

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

Overview

As of Fall 2017, there were six local and state government officials whose work was especially pertinent to LTHC,
including State Representatives Sally Siegrist and Sheila Klinker, State Senator Ron Alting, Tippecanoe County Com-
missioner Tom Murtaugh, Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski and West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis.

Students reached out to all six government officials and received initial responses from Representative Siegrist, Sen-
ator Alting, Commissioner Murtaugh and Mayors Roswarski and Dennis. Students followed-up with a few brief
questions to identify the officials’ views on homelessness, how they interact with LTHC, and what they know about
government policies affecting people experiencing homelessness. Ultimately, only Mayors Roswarski and Dennis,
Commissioner Murtaugh, and Senator Alting responded to the emailed questions. Their responses are included after
a list of the questions below.

Questions Asked

1. Do you feel as though the grants and programs currently in place to
provide support and service to individuals experiencing homeless-
ness are sufficient?

2. Are there any initiatives on the horizon that are going to address the
gaps we have in assisting those experiencing homelessness?

3. What do you think are some of the shortcomings of current pro-
grams/policies in place?

4. Do you believe the criteria a person must meet to qualify as “home-
less” affects the number of people who are able to receive assistance
from government programs?

5. How do you ensure that policies and programs are inclusive enough
to provide all individuals experiencing homelessness access to re-
sources to help them throughout their journey?

6. What do you believe is the biggest hurdle to overcome when ad-
dressing issues of homelessness in the community?

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