Homeless Outreach & Prevention

health pillarOf the 10,000 homeless individuals on San Diego County streets, almost 1,400 are chronically homeless – those who experience numerous periods of homelessness while struggling with a disability (physical, mental, or substance abuse). 

Though they represent fewer than 15 percent of the homeless population, the chronically homeless drain almost 50 percent of available homeless resources. Other systems impacted include shelters, emergency medical services, and law enforcement. For example, research shows that in San Diego, 15 chronically homeless inebriates cost $100,000 in medical services, totaling $1.5 million over 1.5 years. Read more about the chronically homeless and emergency systems.

DID YOU KNOW… that 60 percent of those experiencing homelessness have a mental health problem? Homelessness makes existing mental illness worse, often leading to expensive treatment and medical services.

Learn more about the cycle of homelessness and how permanent supportive housing is more cost effective than living on the street here.

In 2002, the federal government approached United Way to create a 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness (PTECH). United Way recruited Dene Oliver (Oliver McMillan Companies) to head a committee of volunteers – community leaders, service providers, and homeless experts – to develop a plan to provide permanent housing and support services. The goal of this results-oriented plan? To help solve our region’s troubling homeless problem.

Who is conducting these programs?

Currently, four agencies have received funding to enhance the continuum of homeless services are The Regional Task Force on the Homeless, St. Vincent de Paul Village, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the Alliance for Regional Solutions. In early 2009, United Way will release a Request for Proposals (RFP) to implement the recommendations of the PTECH Committees and serve the first 200 chronically homeless individuals.

 

We believe the key to ending homelessness is to provide permanent housing first, followed by mental health, medical, legal, job training and other necessary services. This model, called Housing First/Housing Plus, is a documented success in many U.S. communities where it reduced homeless populations up 70 percent. 

Permanent supportive housing also improves physical and mental health, which reduces the need for these services, particularly expensive inpatient mental health care and hospitalization.

Studies show that the cost of providing permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals with mental illness and/or addictions is less than the cost of allowing them to remain homeless. Permanent supportive housing helps tenants:
 
- increase their incomes
- work more
- get arrested less
- make more progress toward recovery
- become more active, productive members of our community
Who is getting help?

While the Housing First/Housing Plus model focuses on the chronically homeless, United Way also directs resources toward prevention to help at-risk individuals avoid homelessness.

  • United Way contributed $200,000 to open emergency homeless shelters in San Diego and North County, providing over 600 beds and serving more than 2,000 homeless men, women and children last season. 
     
  • PTECH finalized its first phase goals: to implement a pilot program that will serve 200 chronically homeless individuals. 
     
  • Already this year, United Way has contributed to the following initiatives that support the continuum of homeless services:
    • Point-in-Time Count (The Regional Task Force on the Homeless): (funding) $50,000 will enhance the annual homeless count, which helps determine how many federal dollars the county receives to combat homelessness.
    • Neil Good Day Center (St. Vincent de Paul Village): $50,000 over two years helps support the operation of the Center so it can remain open seven days a week. 
    • Permanent Supportive Housing Program & Financial Modeling (Corporation for Supportive Housing): $17,350 will develop a 10-year model outlining the resources needed to develop permanent supportive housing in San Diego.
    • North County Regional Winter Shelter System (Alliance for Regional Solutions): $70,000 will provide supportive services to the hundreds of homeless individuals and families that regularly access this shelter system.  
How will we measure success?

10-year goals:

  • Eliminate chronic homelessness in San Diego region
  • Create 1600 units of permanent supportive housing

“I’ve seen the homeless problem for years but never knew what I could do to help,” says Mary Cruz, a United Way donor for 17 years. “Now I know my United Way donation is helping them leave the streets for good.”

For more information about the Chronically Homeless, visit these links:

 

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