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<br />Alameda Countywide Homeless and Special Needs Housing Plan
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<br />Mental Illness in Combination with Homelessness, HIV/AIDS, and Substance Use
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<br />National and local data indicate substantial correlation between the plan's three populations: people
<br />experiencing homelessness, people living with HIV/AIDS, and people with mental illness. Statistics
<br />regarding the correlation of mental illness with homelessness and with HIV / AIDS follows.
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<br />· Homelessness. A recent homelessness survey in Alameda County found 866 adults at a point in
<br />time who were homeless and had a mental illness; nearly half of them had co-occurring
<br />substance use issues. 55 BHCS reports that more than 1,000 of its clients served during 2002
<br />were reported as being homeless that year.56
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<br />· HIV/AIDS. The Office of AIDS Administration reports that 637 people in FY 2003-2004
<br />(about a quarter of all clients served that year) entered Ryan White services with mental illness
<br />as a presenting issue, and 313 participated in Ryan White mental health therapy or counseling
<br />during the year.57 BHCS mental health programs do not track information related to HIV/AIDS,
<br />and use different eligibility criteria than Ryan White.
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<br />· Substance use. Substance use issues have been estimated to affect 35 percent of people with
<br />serious mental illness nationally.58 During the 12 months ending June 30, 2004,1,648 clients
<br />receiving in mental health services were also served by providers of substance abuse services.59
<br />A recent homelessness survey found more than 400 people at a point in time in Alameda County
<br />who were homeless, mentally ill, and had alcohol or other drug dependence.6o
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<br />This plan estimates that housing assistance is needed for 17,819 people with a serious and persistent
<br />mental illness who have extremely low-incomes and are at risk of becoming homeless, as well as
<br />443 people with serious mental illness who are in the chronically homeless population and 1,095
<br />people with serious mental illness in the community-defined homeless population. (Please see the
<br />chapter, Housing Assistance Needs of People Who Are Homeless and/or Have Special Needs, for
<br />more detail.)
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<br />Housina for People with Mental Illness
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<br />In 2004, the BHCS budget for housing programs for people with mental illness was $5.4 million.
<br />Programs included purchased shelter beds, access to Single Room Occupancy apartments,
<br />transitional housing, partial rent subsidies, and the Supplemental Rate Program for Board and Care
<br />homes.61 Each of these programs and a detailed inventory appear in Companion Materials, 9.
<br />Behavioral Health in Alameda County: Expanded Version. Other sources of funding specific to
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<br />55 Richard Speiglman and Jean Norris, Alameda Countywide Shelter and Services Survey: County Report, prepared for the Alameda
<br />Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care Council, May 2004, pp. 8-18, 10.12.
<br />56 Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services handout, "BHCS Data on Homeless Populations in SMI and General BHCS
<br />Populations," August 25, 2004.
<br />57 Data provided to AIDS Housing of Washington by the Office of AIDS Administration, prepared December 7,2004.
<br />58 Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, personal communication with AIDS Housing of Washington staff, March 30,
<br />2005.
<br />59 Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, e-mail communication with AIDS Housing of Washington staff, October 8,
<br />2004.
<br />60 Richard Speiglman and Jean Norris, Alameda Countywide Shelter and Services Survey: County Report, prepared for the Alameda
<br />Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care Council, May 2004, pp. 8-18, 10.12.
<br />61 Data provided to AIDS Housing of Washington by Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services, September 23,2004; e-mail
<br />communication with AIDS Housing of Washington staff, September 7,2004.
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