Board and care homes serve adults and seniors with seriÂous behavioral health condiÂtions who need specialized care. Many are at risk of becoming homeless.
Licensed by the state of CaliÂfornia, board and cares offer a home-like atmosphere where residents have private or semi-private rooms and receive meals, housekeeping, transporÂtation, medication management and grooming support.
Here in San Diego, only eight board and care providers serve individuals with serious menÂtal illness who are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The supply of beds has been shrinking. Since 2019, the region has seen a loss of over 3,200 board and care beds.
Now, a new state grant proÂgram will soon provide board and cares a helping hand. The County has already received $16.6 million to step in with help.
The Community Care ExpanÂsion – Preservation (CCE-P) Program was created to preÂserve and avoid the closure of residential adult and senior care facilities that serve SSI reÂcipients. Operators of these resÂidences applied for grant funds issued to the County to help cover capital improvements inÂcluding construction, property upgrades and rehabilitation projects.
Providing financial assisÂtance to the struggling Board and Care community will help ensure individuals with serious behavioral health challenges have a safe place to land when there are no other options. The investment will improve their quality of life, treatment outÂcomes and help prevent the cycle of homelessness and unÂnecessary hospitalization.
Reprinted courtesy San Diego County Office of Communications.
