HOUSTON – Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher announced on Thursday that up to $1,000,000 in federal funding has been secured for Harris County Public Health to reduce homelessness.

In a news release, the funds will gear towards the Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency Harris County (ACCESS), a program that strengthens Harris County’s safety net system by identifying the county’s underserved residents.

The program collaborates with several county agencies to direct vulnerable residents, including those who are homeless, re-entering society following incarceration, or aging out of foster care to access a variety of support services, including employment, mental health services, childcare, and more.

The funds were requested by Fletcher last year through Congressional Directed Spending, which allows members of Congress to s request funds for specific projects on behalf of local governments.