The Division of Mental Health has been providing mental health services for homeless adults with serious and persistent mental illness since the late 1980’s. A range of mental health services is available to assist and support the psychiatrically disabled individual from out of homelessness and into the community. Services are provided with the understanding that homeless individuals needs are complex and multi-faceted, with attention focused on housing, co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance abuse and unmet physical and mental health needs. These services were greatly enhanced in FY 2000-2001 with the awarding of a 5.2 million dollar ongoing grant to serve homeless individuals. Federal and State homeless money is also leveraged to permit a larger number of programs and persons to be served.

The Division of Mental Health contracts with four agencies to provide a range of homeless mental health services. Three of the agencies provide more than one type of service. Broadly defined, the services are divided into the following areas:

OUTREACH
Services are focused on identifying homeless individuals and assisting them to treatment programs. Individuals served by these programs are undomiciled and/or living in homeless shelters.

Project Outreach, 440-1500 x 138, M-F. This is a unique partnership and collaboration of mental health and law enforcement. The agencies, Sacramento City Police Department, Transitional Living & Community Support, Volunteers of America, Veterans Resource Center, provide street outreach services to homeless mentally ill adults in the city and county of Sacramento. Utilizing life experiences Project Outreach staff is distinctively responsive to the challenges of the homeless.

Volunteers of America - Community Outreach Services, 736-3421 or 736-6727, M-F. Specialty teams with over 16 years providing street and shelter outreach services to homeless mentally   City and County. Brief case management services provided to assist individuals to the necessary services. One team is dedicated to senior/older adult population. Included on the teams are formerly homeless consumers with a unique sensitivity and regard to homeless individuals. 

Supported Housing and Entitlement Program (SHEP), 440-1500 x 2, 1400 North A Street, Building A, Sacramento, M-F. An agency based program assisting homeless individuals with psychiatric disability in range of services, including housing and benefits. Outreach to homeless shelters serving women and children is provided. This agency is the point of entry and intake for all of Transitional Living and Community Support, Inc. (TLCS), programs.

OUTPATIENT
Mental health and psychiatric services focused on coordinating mental health needed services and medication management for psychiatric symptoms.

Guest House, 440-1500 x 3, 1400 North A Street, Building A, Sacramento, M-F. Provides full-range professional outpatient services, including psychiatric medication evaluation and treatment, mental health nursing, service coordination and linkage/referrals for housing and ongoing services. Saturday clinic hours are available.

CASE MANAGEMENT
Services are geared towards providing, obtaining and linking clients with needed services to assist clients out of homelessness and into the community.

TLCS – Case management. Four case management teams delivering services to the following targeted groups: Sixty (60) dual diagnosed consumers, forty (40) transitional-age youth, twenty-five (25) receiving employment services, and one-hundred (100) homeless adults. See Outreach – contact SHEP for access and more information – 440-1500 x 2.

RESIDENTIAL
Housing programs for homeless adults.

Halcyon Place, 736-6727, 2830 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento. 22-bed long-term, independent living, residential program. Program services are focused on residential stability, community re-integration and mental health needs. Program is non-locked and voluntary. Program expertise is working with individuals with long-term psychotic conditions.

TLCS – Palmer Apartments – 48 bed, 12-month, transitional residential treatment for homeless adults. Specialty focus with co-occurring disorders of substance abuse and mental illness. See Outreach – contact SHEP program for access more information – 440-1500 x 2.

SPECIALITY HOMELESS SERVICES

Homeless Intervention Program (HIP), 922-2771, 601 W. North Market Blvd., Suite 350, Sacramento. Integrated and comprehensive mental health services for 150 consumers. Services include a multi-disciplinary staff with 24/7 crisis response and programming seven days per week, including evening. Recovery and rehabilitation focused services include housing assistance, employment training and access to medical care. River City Community Homeless Program (RCCHP), 854-4552, 9261 Folsom Blvd., Suite 100, Sacramento. Integrated and comprehensive mental health services for 150 consumers. Services include a multi-disciplinary staff with 24/7 crisis response and programming seven days per week, including evening. Recovery and rehabilitation focused services include housing assistance, employment training and access to medical care.