U.S. Rep. Correa granted $963K to help fund Santa Ana’s homeless and mental health programs

On By art-pedroza

This post was originally published on this site

On Monday, Nov. 25, Congressman Lou Correa joined the Santa Ana City Council to present a ceremonial check commemorating a $963,000 federal allocation for the City of Santa Ana’s Alternative Response Program.

This funding, allocated over three fiscal years, will expand the Santa Ana Multi-Disciplinary Response Teams (SMART), a critical initiative addressing homelessness, mental health crises, and substance use disorder issues within the city.

The SMART program, launched as a pilot in 2022, deploys subject matter experts trained in crisis intervention, mental health, addiction, and medical services to respond to non-emergency 911 calls for service for those experiencing homelessness.

This effort has reduced the burden on law enforcement and improved response times by redirecting calls for service involving homeless away from the Santa Ana Police Department.

Since its inception, the program has connected over 1,000 individuals experiencing homelessness with housing and shelter, significantly reducing the number of unsheltered homeless in Santa Ana.

If you see anyone experiencing homelessness who may need assistance, please call SMART at 714-242-3706.

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Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions.

When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.