As California continues to grapple with its ongoing homelessness crisis, San Joaquin County has been awarded nearly $30 million in state funding to create housing for Valley residents in need.
Late last month, the county received $15 million through the California Department of Health Care Services’ Behavioral Health Bridge Housing grant program. The money comes on the heels of $14.3 million awarded last year to county Behavioral Health Services for transitional housing through the same program.
The Bridge Housing program, which was passed into law in 2022, provides nearly $1 billion in state funding to county behavioral health agencies and tribal entities to operate housing for people experiencing homelessness and serious mental health issues.
“(W)e could not be more proud of (Behavioral Health Services’) continued efforts to pursue funding opportunities that creatively combat this pervasive situation,” said San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors chair Miguel Villapudua.
In San Joaquin County, the new $15 million grant will be used to add roughly 67-beds to its continuum of care for people with mental health conditions who may also have substance use disorders and are at-risk of or are homeless.