The Management and Reporting of S tatistics on Homelessness (MRSH) project is a computerized management information system designed to allow for the centralized tracking of services provided to people who are homeless or are in danger of becoming homeless.  The project's goal is to have a confidential depository of data and resources which will facilitate the coordination of services and the deployment or verifiable statistics.

Help for the Homeless

The MRSH project can help a person or a family in need of assistance by providing an extensive database of resources and agencies that are capable of fulfilling their needs.  More specifically, these would be the Directory of Services and the Resource Bank, which provide location and contact information as well.  Eventually, the MRSH project will be in every library, police station, and other public service buildings in suburban Cook County.  This will provide very easy and convenient access to all services in the area.  Once assisted, the person or family that has been helped will be better served by a sophisticated information database of services rendered and other important information in an effort to help one become self sufficient (i.e. not homeless.).

Help for the Agencies

Suburban Cook County, IL appears to have a very sizeable, but largely uncounted population of men, women, and children who annually seek assistance to deal with their homelessness.  At this time, various agencies are attempting to meet the needs of these individuals.  Without an accurate picture of the number of people in need, and the type of services currently provided, Homeless Provider Organizations (HPO's) are not able to determine what duplications in service exist now, or how they can be eliminated.  Furthermore, it may be argued that the agencies in the region will never be able to effectively address homelessness until a clear image of the need is established.  This project provides an avenue by which agencies can receive the information they need.

The Adults We Help

The Children We Help

The Families We Help