County-funded program announces 282 youth, people with mental illness prevented from becoming homeless

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The Sonoma County Human Services Department today announced preliminary results of a new program that identifies people at risk of becoming homeless and helps them obtain stable housing and supportive services to improve their lives.

The county-funded Housing and Wellness Program, which began last July and is administered by a coalition of local nonprofits, utilized databases to identify 118 people who were either unhoused or in danger of becoming homeless and then placed them in stable housing. The program identified another 164 people at risk of losing shelter and kept them off the streets by providing key support services, including mental health services, parenting support and financial assistance.

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors provided nearly $1.9 million to launch the initiative, one of 27 community-based programs allocated $39.8 million by the board in May 2022 using federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The board prioritized funding for local programs that assist people most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly low-income communities.

“Investing in solutions that keep people off the streets by helping them secure and hold onto housing is both cost-effective and humane,” said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Last year, homelessness declined by 22 percent in Sonoma County thanks to programs like this and others. This Housing and Wellness Program is one of many ways the county is working to reduce homelessness by addressing its root causes.”

The program is operated by Community Support Network, a Santa Rosa nonprofit that provides housing and support services to people with mental health challenges, and TLC Child & Family Services, a Sebastopol nonprofit that provides housing and support services for transitional-age youth (18-25) as well as foster care and adoption services.

The initiative targets two populations who were disproportionately impacted by COVID: adults with behavioral health and medical challenges, and young people who previously lived in a foster home.

The program’s unique approach uses a number of existing health care databases to identify people with complex behavioral health and medical issues who are using local emergency rooms to obtain health care. Individuals are then assessed by care managers and, if appropriate, diverted into programs to help them recover from addiction and mental health issues. After they are medically stabilized, participants are placed in housing or provided rental subsidies and other support services to keep them off the streets.

Participants can receive $800 to $1,858 per month in rental assistance through the end of 2024. If permanent housing is not immediately available, some participants are temporarily placed in hotel rooms.

With the help of ARPA funding, TLC has added a social worker at its Santa Rosa resource center Monday-Friday to serve people who need help with crisis intervention, housing, independent living skills, parenting support and financial assistance. The resource center, located at 821 Mendocino Ave., has served 80 individuals since last July.

“To date, 282 individuals have been able to transform their lives in extraordinarily positive ways with the support of this program,” said Tom Bieri, executive director of Community Support Network. “The ARPA funding supports the work of case managers and housing navigators at the Housing and Wellness Program who have deep connections with local health care providers and landlords. They are actively connecting individuals with much-needed housing and medical and behavioral health support.”

Through Dec. 31, 2024, ARPA funding of this program will provide up to 914 individuals with case management to improve their health and well-being in six areas: mental health, addiction, physical/medical, independent living, vocational, and psychosocial support. 

Low-income adults who are struggling with behavioral health challenges, homelessness or housing instability can call the Community Support Network’s Housing and Wellness Program at (707) 757-7892. Youth aged 18-25 who are unhoused, at imminent risk of losing housing, or who are current or former foster youth can call TLC at (707) 293-3968 or stop by its Santa Rosa resource center.