San Diego County officials have embraced an initiative – “Project One For All” – to create a partnership between communities, the local housing commission and nonprofit organizations to give homeless people facing mental illness access to housing and a full spectrum of services. Their goal is to create “head-to-toe services for homeless people with mental illness.”
County Supervisors say they are taking robust action now because homeless people with mental illness are the least likely group of people to get and keep housing without major help, and are some of the biggest users of emergency health care and law enforcement resources. San Diego County points to studies that conclusively show that providing housing and services is far more cost-effective than leaving people on the streets, where they are dependent on expensive crisis care and emergency services. (CSH – FUSE)
The new program builds on a plan announced in August to spend $10 million to house homeless people and Project 25, a pilot program between the county, the San Diego Housing Commission, the United Way and St. Vincent de Paul.
CSH has provided housing technical assistance to the County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services department, and worked with local partners to develop a five-year Behavioral Health Services Strategic Housing Plan.
CSH is supportive of the initiative and applauds the leadership of the County – including the County Behavioral Health Services department – the communities, housing agencies and local advocates involved in Project One For All.
