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Date: Wednesday, April 2, 1997
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Victor Zonana (202) 690-6343

Marsha Martin Named Special Assistant
HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala has announced the appointment of Marsha A. Martin, D.S.W., 44, of Washington, D.C., as special assistant to the secretary.

In her new position, Dr. Martin's initial assignment will be to advise the secretary on programs, services and assistance offered by HHS to people with AIDS and the homeless.

Dr. Martin came to HHS from the Department of Veterans Affairs where, since 1995, she had been Coordinator for Homeless Veterans Initiatives and was responsible for coordinating programs, services and assistance offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs to homeless and at-risk veterans. She served as primary advisor to the VA Secretary and VA Under Secretary for Health on the development, implementation and evaluation of different clinical and administrative modalities for providing care and assistance to homeless veterans.

She is the author of Heading Home: Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness Among America's Veterans, the first comprehensive report and resource directory detailing the history of the VA's efforts to address homelessness among America's veterans, its current programs and new community partnership initiatives in housing and employment.

Prior to her appointment to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dr. Martin served as the Executive Director of the Federal Interagency Council on the Homeless at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1995. At the Council, Dr. Martin coordinated the development of Priority Home!: The Federal Plan to Break the Cycle of Homelessness.

From 1991 until 1993, Dr. Martin served as Director of the Mayor's Office on Homelessness and SRO Housing in New York City, where she developed the comprehensive strategy to redesign the New York City shelter system and services for homeless single adults and families. Dr. Martin also helped expand housing opportunities for people with AIDs and performed volunteer work with a non-profit AIDs assistance provider in New York City.

Dr. Martin was Associate Professor at the Hunter College School of Social Work from 1985 to 1993. She has been a consultant to the National Resource Center on Homelessness and Mental Illness, a center established by National Institute for Mental Health.

Born in Iowa City, Iowa, Dr. Martin received both her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Psychology in 1974 and Masters Degree in Social Work in 1976 from the University of Iowa. She received her DSW from Columbia University's School of Social Work in 1982.

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