Santa Cruz County receives $3 million grant to fight homelessness
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The County of Santa Cruz Behavioral Health received a $3 million grant to address mental health-related issues for people experiencing homelessness.
It's a two-year grant that is supposed to go towards helping people experiencing homelessness and connect them with services in a path to recovery, whether that's addressing substance use, mental illness, or both.
“Homelessness is a concern for everyone who lives in Santa Cruz County,” Behavioral Health Director Erik Riera said. "This will allow us to take a compassionate approach to care including comprehensive contacts in the community
through a multidisciplinary team who will work together to support the individual in getting the help they need and deserve."
Among the direct services include:
- medication management
- peer support services
- case management
According to the county, the services will be focused on Santa Cruz and Watsonville since their data shows a high concentration of people experiencing homelessness.
