Davis Announces Nearly $55 Million in Grants for Programs Serving the Mentally Ill Homeless
As part of the Governor's Homeless Prevention Initiative, Gov. Gray Davis (D) on Wednesday announced that 34 local programs that provide services to people with mental illnesses who are homeless will receive $54.9 million in fiscal year 2002-2003. The local programs provide services such as shelter or housing, food, clothing, medical, psychiatric and dental care, alcohol and drug treatment, social rehabilitation and legal assistance to the homeless mentally ill. Eight counties will receive six months of funding through December 2003, and 26 programs will receive 12 months of funding through June 2004. All 26 programs agreed to a 4.5% cut in funding to create new programs for seven provisionally funded counties and one new county. "The goal of this program is to reduce the number of people with mental illness who are homeless by helping them get off the street and into appropriate treatment, permanent housing and into jobs. The funding I approved in next year's budget will allow these programs to continue their successful track records," Davis said (Office of the Governor release, 10/30).
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