HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-02-2013 C4 AshbaughGrimes, Maeve
RECEIVED
. Gesell, Steve APR 0 2 2013
A Tuesday, April 02, 2013 4:11 PM SLO CI'T'Y CLERK
To: Grimes, Maeve; Goodwin, Heather
Subject: FW: C -4: Grant for TMHA case managers COUNCIL MEET G- 21
Importance: High ITEM NO.:
The questions answered below were generally incorporated in the Council Correspondence memo submitted. However,
since this response came from a citizen, I'm sending in the event we need to include it as public correspondence.
Stephen Gesell
San Luis Obispo Police Chief
1042 Walnut Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 781 -7020
- - - -- Original Message---- -
P : Jill Bolster -White (mailto:Jbw @t- mha.or�]
it: Tuesday, April 02, 2013 5:47 AM
To: Ashbaugh, John
Cc: Gesell, Steve; Lichtig, Katie
Subject: Re: C -4: Grant for TMHA case managers
Hello John,
In partial answer to your questions: this grant will give us more people in the field and thus more time to work with
people who are candidates for mental health services (whether they are program resistant or not - the potential mental
health diagnosis Is our guiding principle) and thus the candidates would have to ultimately accept a diagnosis and
treatment. What our staff have found in working with candidates over time (sometimes it takes months and months to
develop a relationship and trust) is that introducing the idea of treatment and the benefits that accompany it (SSI
income, housing, employment) successfully encourages folks to accept help.
I am not certain if submitting program recipients to HMIS was contemplated but our HUD- funded Transitional Homeless
Housing Program utilizes HMIS and thus we have access to the system. I will check with Joe Madsen.
The County's HSOC was not involved with this grant and that is primarily because the turnaround time to write and
coordinate it was very tight and everyone worked quickly to get it completed and submitted.
The County was involved in developing this project and I don't know what the Behavioral Health Department's
^mmitment is beyond the grant funding. What I DO know is that the department is working to develop more resources
`erving people who are homeless and mentally ill and all eyes are on MHSA funding levels to see how those demands
_ ;r be met.
And now, our fingers are crossed and I hope to hear we get funded!
Jill
On Apr 1, 2013, at 9:53 AM, "Ashbaugh, John" <jaLhbaug@slocity.or ;> wrote:
> With respect to this proposed grant, I have several questions:
> 1) Can we expect that the new staff workers supported by this grant will be able to get to some of those homeless
persons we now describe as "program resistant" ( "will- nots ")? Could they be expected to work with homeless who are
not willing to accept a diagnosis and disability assessment? When a homeless person is identified as a loitering offender,
for example - but refuses to accept mental health assessment or services - will this grant enable us to do anything
different from what we do now- Le., maybe arrest them and book them under applicable ordinances, then release them
when a fine is paid or time served? (Prime example: "Marilyn ")
> 2) will these clients be entered into the HMIS?
> 3) Has the County's Homeless Services Oversight Council reviewed and "signed off" on this grant?
> 4) can we expect that the County will continue to fund these services even after the DOJ Grant runs out, in two years,
if it is successful? Who will decide this?
> Overall, the new team seems like a good idea. Even if the grant is not awarded, it seems to be something we should be
doing...
> Thanks,
> JA
> John B. Ashbaugh
> San Luis Obispo City Council