Wisconsin DHS receives federal approval to assist homeless families

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced it received federal approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide housing support for low-income Wisconsin families in need.

Those who are eligible include families with children 18 and younger.

Also included under eligibility are individuals who are pregnant, have an income below 200% of the federal poverty level and don’t have housing.

“In Dane county, there are 79 households with children that we’ve identified that are experiencing homelessness and sleeping either in a shelter or a place not meant for human habitation,” Madison and Dane county continuum of care coordinator Torrie Mueller said.

Mueller said this year alone, there are 722 students in the Madison Metropolitan School District experiencing homelessness.

“Housing stability is amazingly important for families and for everyone, and we know that when families have a place to be that’s stable… they just do better,” Mueller said.

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