“These investments are designed to make our community safer and healthier,” said Phil Serna, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “Enhancing these services will improve the lives of some of our most vulnerable residents and will help reduce pressure on our hospital systems, jail, and probation systems.”
Homeless Initiatives – the budget reflects ongoing commitments to serve homeless persons, including services such as outreach, mental health, substance abuse, shelter, housing and cash assistance. In total, Sacramento County will spend more than $32.5 million on these programs, including funding increases for rapid rehousing, support of the Senior Safe House, and continued support for the CalWORKS Housing Program which quickly rehouses families.
Health Care for Undocumented Immigrants- funds are being directed to serve up to 3,000 Sacramento residents who do not qualify for any State or Federal health program, are 19-64 years of age, and live at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Grounded in a partnership between the County, the University of California and the private hospital and physician sectors, the program will provide primary care through the Integrated Behavioral Health TEACH Medical Home at the County’s Primary Care Center. Specialty care will be provided through contracted and in-kind services from hospital systems and physicians.
Initiatives to Reduce Disproportional African-American Child Deaths – A Strategic Plan to Reduce African-American Child Deaths attributable to the leading causes of disproportionality– perinatal conditions, infant sleep-related death, child abuse and neglect, and third-party homicide – in six targeted neighborhoods has been developed. Community-based efforts including capacity building, communication outreach and technical assistance will complement County programs to achieve a 10-20 percent reduction in these deaths in the next five years.
County efforts will include:
• Five full-time Probation officers who will focus on at-risk youth in target neighborhoods.
• Four full-time CPS specialists to support African –American families in target neighborhoods.
• Community-based contracts for cultural brokers who will work with Child Protective Services social workers
and at-risk African-American families in target neighborhoods.
• Three Public Health Nurses and a social worker to conduct home visits and provide pre-natal and follow-up
care to African-American mothers and a Program Planner to coordinate efforts to address perinatal substance
abuse among African-American women.
First 5 Sacramento will continue their robust efforts in this area through expanded Family Resource Centers, Perinatal Condition and Infant Safe Sleep education campaigns, and extensive Cultural Broker Programs to collaboratively and effectively reduce risks in the neighborhoods.
Mental Health Services Rebalancing –
• Over $13M to establish three residential treatment centers and increase access to the County’s crisis
stabilization unit, preventing long waits in emergency rooms for psychiatric beds.
• Increased support for outpatient and guardianship programs to avoid mental health crises and
hospitalizations.
“These are practical investments that will improve the quality of life for residents of Sacramento County,”
Bradley J. Hudson, County Executive added.