Saturday, December 21, 2024
12/21/2024
Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc., working in partnership with Alachua County and other key community partners, will implement a Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals (GBHI) program as part of the county’s commitment to furthering a comprehensive, collaborative service system focused on assisting persons experiencing homelessness with accessing and maintaining permanent housing. The GBHI Partnership program will further efforts to reduce gaps in access, service use and outcomes for the area’s most vulnerable populations. Through a Care Coordination model, the program will offer integrated, evidence based treatment, housing and support services for adult and youth individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness in conjunction with their own or a family member’s substance use or co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. The primary goal of this team-based, coordinated approach is to decrease significant disparities persons experiencing homelessness and serious behavioral disorders can face when trying to locate and navigate multiple systems of care. The primary objectives of the program are to increase housing access and tenure, support continued treatment gains, and, as a result, promote positive recovery outcomes for the individuals and families receiving services. Alachua County, located in North Central Florida, has had a long-standing, distinctive commitment to ending homelessness in our communities. With strong stakeholder support, the County has continued to further initiatives designed to increase comprehensive services, such as the opening of a one-stop service center in 2014 and the ongoing promotion of a housing-focused Coordinated Entry System. While these initiatives have led to increased services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, they have also revealed disparities among certain populations, especially for those facing serious and chronic behavioral and other health care needs. The proposed program will continue to draw upon and expand existing area resources and the leadership of community stakeholders to address these significant service gaps. The GBHI program will continue to move the County forward in strengthening the infrastructure needed to ensure that all individuals are permanently housed. The program will prioritize immediate permanent housing for the focus population or at a minimum begin the process of securing housing through linkage to the Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinated Entry System. The Care Coordination Team will work collaboratively to increase access to housing for participants, as well as to provide and coordinate outreach, treatment, integrated primary care, peer support, benefits counseling, supportive employment, and other recovery services. To meet the individual needs and preferences of participants, the program will integrate evidence-based programs and practices into services, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing for consumer engagement, and Seeking Safety for individuals with a history of trauma.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).