Top priority-Do not Cut AB. 2034

It is very true that the first step in helping the homeless of our community is for members of our community to become aware of why people are homeless so that wrongful stereotypes of the homeless can be erased. Then, can we have community members with shelter willing to outreach to the homeless of our community without shelter. There is an outreach program that was established by the State of California known by social service providers as AB. 2034. This program funds the work of social workers from California counties who make first contact with the homeless. AB. 2034 is a wonderful program and it is at risk of reduction by the California state governor. The governor would like to cut state funding for AB. 2034 and force the counties to fund AB. 2034 through Prop 63. (Mental Heath Service Act) funds the counties have received. This makes no sense. Counties all over the state of California are struggling to implement their Mental Health Service Act Plans because funding given to the counties has not been as adequate to fully meet the demand. This idea proposed by the Governor is so stupid it is not even funny. What the governor proposes is to first cut funding from a program that allows social workers to meet face to face with the most marginalized on California streets and then to cut a program that provides money for mental health outreach for our marginalized populations; non-native Spanish speakers, seniors, transition aged youth and our homeless. It this was to occur, mental health outreach for California’s marginalized would be jeopardized. It would be like the choice to release all of the mentally ill to the streets from our state mental health institutions. Therefore, I encourage community members all over the state of California to learn more about AB. 2034 and give a call to the California governor’s office. We must preserve state funding to AB.2034 so that we can continue our work of outreaching to our homeless and mentally ill. Thank You

Richard Cipian
endhomelessindavis.blogspot.com
Student homeless advocate in Davis, California