Posted on 08/18/2005 12:05:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Four Bay Area communities will receive nearly $4 million in grants today to help bring chronically homeless alcoholics off the streets.
EHC Lifebuilders' ``Off the Streets for Alcohol'' pilot program was awarded a $998,831 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency that funds homeless services.
The largest provider of shelter, housing opportunities and support services to homeless people in Santa Clara County, EHC Lifebuilders is expected to use the grant to help approximately 42 people.
San Francisco County will receive $988,458; Contra Costa County, $996,786; and Santa Cruz County, $706,773, for their pilot programs.
The 11 grants distributed nationwide tie into a federal effort to target the population of chronically homeless, made up of people who have spent at least 365 days on the street over the past five years, with no time in transitional or supportive housing.
About 150,000 people who meet that criteria also are addicted to alcohol, said HUD spokesman Larry Bush.
``They end up using more services and more costly services than other homeless people,'' he said.
Reaching this population requires specialized outreach, but in the long term will save money in places like jails and emergency rooms, Bush says.
``It's nice to be able to put into place something that's going to move the issue forward, instead of simply reducing the lag,'' he said.
``Project Coming Home'' is part of Contra Costa County's 10-year plan to end homelessness. It sends outreach workers to visit encampments, dedicates beds for homeless people in detox and treatment programs, and offers permanent housing with supportive services at sites throughout the county.
Regional HUD Director Richard Rainey will visit the county-run men's shelter in Concord this afternoon to present a check to a group of county and state officials.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
Didn't the homeless problem take off when the Santatriums were closed?
Where do we sign up?
I hear a giant sucking sound.
I see - quite a few social workers will become problem drinkers. $4 million will buy a lot of booze.
Am I reading this wrong? Each of these people need essentially a $95,238.10 check to sober up???
The epitomy of "this is bullshit" has just been revealed... And, this is coming from a recovering alchoholic...
That's $23,781 / per drunk
So, am I reading this right: EHC get $23781.69 per person?
Oh, great... now they're all going to flock to this area. AGAIN.
Come the revolution.
My bad, I divided by the $4 million, not the $998,831.... Still the "this is bullshit" winner!
This will fail 100%.
Guaranteed.
Are you kidding? $4m isn't nearly enough. Why before you know it they'll be back for more; claiming the problem when deeper and was a lot more complex then they originally thought.
The insurance companies bailed out on this fifteen years ago.
So, now in comes the government. AA is free.
Wouldn't just flushing the money save a lot of time?
I also wonder how much of the Grant money goes for administrative costs and why the Bay area got over a 1/3 of the grants available?
They can afford the good stuff now.
Wonder if I can get mine retroactively?
(One day at a time since July, 1981)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.