Keep Program for Homeless with Serious Mental Illness in the California Budget

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Patricia Ryan
Executive Director
California Mental Health Directors Association

Nearly 5,000 Californians with a serious mental illness may wind up back on the streets—homeless—if Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to eliminate funds for the nationally recognized AB 2034 program is included in the final 2007-08 budget act.

Established first as a pilot program to serve homeless adults with serious mental illness, the outcomes on the individual and program levels were so impressive that the Legislature passed AB 2034 (Steinberg) to expand the program in 34 counties throughout the state. Approximately $55 million is allocated each year to California counties to serve individuals in their community with a serious mental illness who have a history or are “at risk” of homelessness, hospitalization, or incarceration. Considered a “best practice,” the program was recently cited as a model program for other communities to emulate in the President’s New Freedom Commission Report.

AB 2034 has helped improve the lives of thousands of homeless mentally ill adults at a significant cost savings to the state. Since the inception of AB 2034, there has been a 42 percent decrease in costly hospitalizations, a 58 percent decrease in incarcerations, a 73 percent reduction in homelessness and a 34 percent increase in part-time or full-time employment.

A key aspect to AB 2034’s success is its flexible funding, which can be used for a wide range of “real life” necessities such as food, clothing, transportation, motel vouchers, rent subsidies, and vocational expenses. AB 2034 strives to meet the person's basic needs first, so staff can then develop a relationship with the client and help him/her acquire affordable, permanent housing, seek employment, and access mental health treatment.

Clients set their own treatment goals, and services are individually tailored to meet the needs of each person. By adopting a “whatever it takes” approach, AB 2034 has helped people move from the streets, bridges, jails, prisons and hospitals to being self sufficient and productive members of their communities.