Montgomery County Mental Health & Homeless Outreach Program
NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW!
Volunteers of America Chesapeake’s Montgomery County Mental Health and Homeless Outreach Program – which helps street homeless individuals in the county receive physical and mental health exams, medication, housing opportunities, and other vital services – is in danger of losing all county funding with the current Montgomery County proposed budget cuts.
To ensure these much-needed services are available to serve the more than 1,000 homeless men and women of Montgomery county, area residents are urged to:
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Write a letter of support to: Montgomery County Council, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850
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Call the budget hotline: (240) 777-7802 and ask the Council to reconsider the cuts to Volunteers of America Chesapeake's Montgomery County Mental Health & Homeless Outreach Program!
Click Here to read our full Press Release
Click Here to read a letter in support of our program from Chief Darien Manley, of the Maryland National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County Division
Click Here to hear a story with one of the clients we've helped on WAMU 88.5
Click Here to read a support letter from one of our clients
Montgomery County Mental Health Outreach to Homeless Individuals
At least three days a week, staff members at the Montgomery County Homeless Outreach Program lace up their sneakers and “go in the trenches” – in woods, under bridges and between muddy intersections – to provide intense outreach services for the area’s homeless individuals.
In July 2006, the Montgomery County Homeless Outreach Program opened its doors to offer community-based mental health outreach and engagement services to the most severe homeless population in the county. Since then, the program has achieved incredible results. Receiving referrals from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and other county-based service providers, the program has exceeded Montgomery County’s contractual specifications for serving homeless adults by linking them to housing, entitlements and mental health supports.
“Our goal is to empower individuals to change their lives,” says Program Director Jarrett Carter.
To ensure client success, the Montgomery County Homeless Outreach Program combines three main components: affordable housing, benefit assistance and mental health services. On-site services include: diagnostic assessments, psychiatric support, outreach services, transportation assistance, entitlement assistance/approval, community support, counseling and psychotherapy, case management, medication/somatic treatment, crisis services, referral support, discharge planning, life skills support, linkage to needed service or resources, and housing assistance.
These outreach efforts are intended to lead homeless individuals to accept shelter and mental health services and to learn independent living skills that will, ultimately, end their homelessness and promote successful reintegration into the community.
To find out more about volunteer opportunities, Click Here!
13415 Connecticut Ave, Suite 203 : Silver Spring, Maryland, 20906 : 301-438-0092