Samantha Carr

Date of Award

Spring 2008

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

Sacramento County has continually strived over the years to lower the homeless rate of its citizens by focusing on various factors and implementing changes through new policies. One area that hasn't been explored in depth is the homeless rate of the mentally ill and how to improve this growing problem. This study will focus on the correlation between the severely mentally ill people who are suffering from chronic homelessness, and Sacramento County's newly implemented programs ability to increase or decrease the amount of mentally ill persons who are without homes. The research shows a definitive correlation between having programs that focus directly on solving housing, treatment, and rehabilitation as well as other resource issues among mentally ill persons and programs which are proactive in reducing system and funding fragmentation as being the most successful in lowering the amount of mentally ill homeless that are on the streets. The implication of these findings is that the County of Sacramento's capability to effectively achieve these goals on a consistent basis will determine their success rate. Recommendations include keeping the Community Services and Supports (CSS) programs structured as they currently are now, thoroughly evaluating the service providers program outcome measures and other data and to keep an agreed upon timeline of when outcomes should be achieved on a continual basis, and reassessing the effectiveness of the mentally ill homeless program (Pathways) if the outcome measure of having all mentally ill homeless persons in permanent supportive housing is not met within five years after implementing the program. 3

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