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<br /> HOPE lO-Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in San Mateo County <br /> SECTION VII <br /> Resou~~~g~~eeded <br /> In addition to working smarter, implementation who are chronically homeless, use the majority of <br /> of the HOPE Plan will require new and resources in the homeless system and are also the <br /> reconfigured resources to carry out the most costly to the mainstream systems because <br /> recommendations. Securing of their frequent use of emergency services. <br /> the needed resources will Because they tend to access services only when <br /> While it will require the be challenging, yet the in crisis, their high service use does not translate <br /> investment of significant results will be significant into long term gains in stability or an end to their <br /> resources to end because the HOPE Plan homelessness. <br /> homelessness in San is based on a principle of <br /> Mateo County, it must investing in solutions that Many communities have begun to document the <br /> be emphasized that the work. The Plan is strategic financial costs of continuing to "manage" the <br /> financial costs of doing - its recommendations have problem of homelessness and to compare these <br /> nothing are enormous. been carefully crafted to annual outlays to what it could cost to actually end <br /> achieve the desired result the problem. <br /> of ending and preventing <br /> homelessness. It represents a fundamental In King County, Washington, the Division of Mental <br /> change from simply managing the problem to Health, Chemical Abuse & Dependency found <br /> solving the problem, and will create real and 14 chronically homeless people were among the <br /> tangible outcomes for homeless people and for the top 20 users of county sobering services. In 2003, <br /> community. these 14 people cost the county nearly $285,000 <br /> just for detox services. This figure does not include <br /> the cost of shelter beds, police or jail time, hospital <br /> A. Costs of Homelessness stays or emergency room visits for these 14 <br /> individuals. <br /> While it will require the investment of significant <br /> resources to end homelessness in San Mateo The University of San Diego tracked outcomes <br /> County, it must be emphasized that the financial for homeless individuals enrolled in their Serial <br /> costs of doing nothing are enormous. Those who Inebriates Program, which provides housing <br /> have studied the problem have documented that and support services to chronically homeless <br /> the current costs to manage the problem may far individuals with long histories of alcohol abuse. <br /> exceed the costs of developing viable solutions. They found that in-patient medical costs were <br /> reduced by over $55,000 per month per person <br /> Each day, public resources are expended on social enrolled in the program.s <br /> services and costly emergency interventions that <br /> do not solve the problem. Mental health facilities, While the costs of homelessness in San Mateo <br /> drug treatment, hospitals, emergency room County are not precisely known, a study conducted <br /> services, jails, detoxification programs and other in 2002-2003 documented over $22 million spent <br /> social services are overwhelmed by people who on services for homeless people, including those <br /> are in crisis because they have no stable place to in shelters and transitional housing.9 This figure <br /> live. A small percentage of homeless people, those significantly under-represents the actual costs of <br /> 38 <br />