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CHAT and County of Butte Announce Partnership to Create Shelter for Behavioral Health Clients

We're very pleased to announce a new partnership with the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services and the Dept of Behavioral Health to develop an emergency shelter that we're calling Everhart Village for Behavioral Health clients with round the clock supervision and intensive case management. The press release from the county is included in full below. It's our goal that Everhart Village will create a healthy environment for vulnerable people with mental health challenges who need a safe, secure shelter as well as saving the county and city money by reducing the need for emergency services.


Shown here are CHAT Executive Director Leslie Johnson and board members Robert Trausch and Charles Withuhn, receiving keys for access to the property from county real property agent Margaret Bestor. We're excited about being able to help provide shelter for Behavioral Health clients who lack housing and we'll be working hard to raise the necessary funds to make this project a reality.



OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM THE COUNTY OF BUTTE:


The Chico Housing Action Team (CHAT) is collaborating with Butte County Departments of Employment and Social Services and Behavioral Health to develop a shelter consisting of 15-20 individual units located adjacent to Behavioral Health services on Cohasset Rd in Chico.


The shelter, to be called Everhart Village, is intended to help Behavioral Health clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness to obtain shelter in order to improve their mental health, promote sobriety, and overall well-being. Everhart Village will offer Behavioral Health clients a safe and private place to sleep and secure personal belongings, with round the clock supervision and intensive case management. The close proximity to Behavioral Health clinics will ensure that clients have easy access to mental health and/or substance use services and supports. The long-term goal is for guests to achieve stability and to move to transitional or permanent supportive housing.

The Butte County 2019 Point in Time homeless census reported that 22% of adults surveyed self-disclosed a serious mental illness. Scott Kennelly, Director of Behavioral Health, shares that “Being homeless and mentally ill can be an extremely traumatic experience for people to be in. Research has repeatedly shown that obtaining stable housing combined with the provision of appropriate levels of mental health support significantly impacts overall client stability and produces positive outcomes. Behavioral Health recognizes this relationship and views the Everhart Village project in collaboration with CHAT as a critical addition to the resources we make available to our homeless clients.”

According to Don Taylor, Butte County’s Housing and Homeless Administrator, “People experiencing homelessness often utilize the healthcare system at a greater rate than their housed counterparts. Their health is usually poorer and hospital stays may be longer. Interventions such as shelter and supportive housing can improve these outcomes. Everhart Village could be the first step in this healing process by meeting basic needs to improve overall health and getting some of our Butte County residents off the streets.” Everhart Village will provide the opportunity for individuals to work on their health and overall wellness in a safe and supportive place.

The project will be built on County-owned property, and is anticipated to become operational in early 2021. Residents will be referred for placement at Everhart directly through Behavioral Health. The project will be funded through a Homeless Mentally Ill Outreach and Treatment grant from the Department of Health Care Services and community donations.

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