Santa Clara County Adds Mental Health Services at Shelters
Santa Clara County is expanding its mental health services by embedding professionals directly within homeless shelters. The initiative will provide vulnerable individuals with on-site assessments, counseling, and referrals. This program aims to address the intersection of homelessness and mental health challenges in the community.
- This initiative is a collaboration between Santa Clara County and the city of San Jose, spurred by a proposal from County Supervisor Betty Duong and supported by Mayor Matt Mahan to address gaps in care. - The program is operated by the county's Valley Homeless Healthcare Program, which is adding a new team of behavioral health workers to visit shelters and provide services. - A pilot for this on-site model has been launched at two of San Jose's tiny home communities, Rue Ferrari and Bernal, and has already connected or referred 40 residents to behavioral health services. - A key goal of the enhanced shelter services is to connect more individuals to permanent supportive housing, with a target of placing 15 people into apartments each month. - This program is part of the county's broader investment of nearly $470 million in homeless solutions for the fiscal year, which also covers prevention, other temporary shelters, and rental subsidies. - The initiative aims to create a more streamlined referral process, as the city and county have historically operated separate intake and referral systems for their respective shelter sites. - According to the 2025 homeless count, there are 10,711 unhoused individuals in Santa Clara County, a rise of 8.2% from the 2023 count. - The program will provide on-site mental health services including personalized case management and wellness support to shelter residents.
