Title
Receive a presentation on the Health Department’s Behavioral Health Bureau Hope Housing Marina Program.
Presenters: Melanie Rhodes, Behavioral Health Bureau Chief, Lara Clayton, Behavioral
Health Services Manager II and Fabricio Chombo, WOC Assistant Bureau Chief
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Health, Housing, Homelessness, and Human Services Committee of the Board of Supervisors:
Receive a presentation on the Health Department’s Behavioral Health Bureau Hope Housing Marina Program.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) is a California statewide initiative launched in September 2022 under Assembly Bill 179 (AB 179). Administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), the program provides interim, short-term housing paired with wraparound behavioral health services for individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness who also face serious mental illness (SMI) or substance use disorders (SUD). BHBH provides approximately $1.5 billion statewide in operational and supportive services funding through June 30, 2027, facilitating a variety of housing models such as tiny homes, interim housing, rental assistance programs, and assisted living environments. The purpose of the initiative is to support recovery, promote stability, and help participants transition toward permanent housing.
In September 2023, the County of Monterey Health Department’s Behavioral Health Bureau (BHB) was awarded $11.3 million in BHBH funding to implement local behavioral health bridge housing. This award included $2.8 million for capital improvements and the remainder for program operations and services. Funding was used to establish Hope Housing Marina, a 55-unit, 110-bed facility located on the former Pueblo Del Mar campus at Fort Ord in Marina. This investment responds to the significant local need. The 2024 National Point-in-Time (PIT) Count estimated that California accounts for 24% of the na...
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