CHRT's Mobile Van Team
Donation protected
Homelessness in SF is at horrific levels, and young people are especially hard-hit. 1 out of every 4 homeless persons in SF is under 25 years of age, and untreated mental health issues are among their biggest unmet needs. Youth and young adults experience barriers to mental health care, more so than their older counterparts.
I have worked with at-risk and homeless youth for over 15 years. Problems and barriers-to-care persist. Some problems have improved, while others have only worsened.
How did this happen?
Experiences unique to youth – trauma experienced in the home or in foster care, forced therapy and psychiatric medications, or persecution of one’s sexual orientation and gender identity – all contribute to this public health crisis and unmet need for accessible mental health care. The Center for Harm Reduction Therapy (CHRT) wants to change that, starting here, in San Francisco, CA.
· 25% of homeless population in SF are under 25 years of age
· Of those, only ¼ said they had a supportive adult in their life
· And as of 2017, there are only 509 beds available, only 157 of which are permanent
Harm reduction therapy was developed specifically for people who are excluded or alienated from traditional mental health clinics and substance use treatment programs. It is a public health-based integrated treatment for people with complex co-occurring problems that invites clients to bring all problems and, in a collaborative relationship, helps them prioritize the most pressing issues to address, set goals, and plan realistic steps to achieve those goals.
CHRT is piloting a solution to reach young people by taking harm reduction therapy on the road! As a CHRT board member I’m raising money to help them get started. All donations will go towards building out the van for therapy offices. Please help me help them!
Why don’t they get help?
· 22% of young adults (18-25) living in the US reported having a mental illness
· 2/3 of young adults who report any sort of mental health issue did not receive mental health services in the past year
· And only 4% of young adults who report both mental health and substance use disorders received both mental health care and specialty substance use treatment
By engaging youth and young adults, and meeting them where they’re at, CHRT can continue to provide substance use and mental health treatment to a diverse population, and expand to reach the hardest-to-reach. But only with your help.
What does expansion look like?
Ø Acquire and build out large van to accommodate youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in a private and confidential counseling space that is warm and inviting
Ø Travel to a different location each day to connect with a maximum number of youth in the places they live and hang out
Ø Include shifts of medical staff and complementary care providers to supplement CHRT licensed mental health and substance use treatment staff
Ø Provide overdose prevention and education
Ø Collaborate with peers and staff alike at each site to ensure highest quality of confidential care
Ø Address crisis situations when needed, and model the handling of crises for partner agency staff to increase their competence and capacity
In the first year, with a team of 3 full-time staff will connect with at least 200 youth.
Our fundraising goal is $25,000! With your added support we can purchase:
* $15,000 - Equipment such as iPads and phones that allow onsite (mobile) access to information, data collection, and medical notes
* $10,000 - Medical/first aid equipment and supplies, food and warm drinks, blankets and cushions, supplies of dry clothing, overdose prevention supplies
* $5,000 – Outdoor and office furniture like umbrellas and chairs to create a living room atmosphere
As a supporter of at-risk youth and young adults, a San Francisco resident, and a CHRT board member, I’d like to thank you for your consideration. Please donate now!
For more information visit https://harmreductiontherapy.org/
**The image above was originally posted to Flickr by Doug Kline at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ 26728047@N05/7104959695. It was reviewed on 15 June 2014 by FlickreviewR and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.
I have worked with at-risk and homeless youth for over 15 years. Problems and barriers-to-care persist. Some problems have improved, while others have only worsened.
How did this happen?
Experiences unique to youth – trauma experienced in the home or in foster care, forced therapy and psychiatric medications, or persecution of one’s sexual orientation and gender identity – all contribute to this public health crisis and unmet need for accessible mental health care. The Center for Harm Reduction Therapy (CHRT) wants to change that, starting here, in San Francisco, CA.
· 25% of homeless population in SF are under 25 years of age
· Of those, only ¼ said they had a supportive adult in their life
· And as of 2017, there are only 509 beds available, only 157 of which are permanent
Harm reduction therapy was developed specifically for people who are excluded or alienated from traditional mental health clinics and substance use treatment programs. It is a public health-based integrated treatment for people with complex co-occurring problems that invites clients to bring all problems and, in a collaborative relationship, helps them prioritize the most pressing issues to address, set goals, and plan realistic steps to achieve those goals.
CHRT is piloting a solution to reach young people by taking harm reduction therapy on the road! As a CHRT board member I’m raising money to help them get started. All donations will go towards building out the van for therapy offices. Please help me help them!
Why don’t they get help?
· 22% of young adults (18-25) living in the US reported having a mental illness
· 2/3 of young adults who report any sort of mental health issue did not receive mental health services in the past year
· And only 4% of young adults who report both mental health and substance use disorders received both mental health care and specialty substance use treatment
By engaging youth and young adults, and meeting them where they’re at, CHRT can continue to provide substance use and mental health treatment to a diverse population, and expand to reach the hardest-to-reach. But only with your help.
What does expansion look like?
Ø Acquire and build out large van to accommodate youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in a private and confidential counseling space that is warm and inviting
Ø Travel to a different location each day to connect with a maximum number of youth in the places they live and hang out
Ø Include shifts of medical staff and complementary care providers to supplement CHRT licensed mental health and substance use treatment staff
Ø Provide overdose prevention and education
Ø Collaborate with peers and staff alike at each site to ensure highest quality of confidential care
Ø Address crisis situations when needed, and model the handling of crises for partner agency staff to increase their competence and capacity
In the first year, with a team of 3 full-time staff will connect with at least 200 youth.
Our fundraising goal is $25,000! With your added support we can purchase:
* $15,000 - Equipment such as iPads and phones that allow onsite (mobile) access to information, data collection, and medical notes
* $10,000 - Medical/first aid equipment and supplies, food and warm drinks, blankets and cushions, supplies of dry clothing, overdose prevention supplies
* $5,000 – Outdoor and office furniture like umbrellas and chairs to create a living room atmosphere
As a supporter of at-risk youth and young adults, a San Francisco resident, and a CHRT board member, I’d like to thank you for your consideration. Please donate now!
For more information visit https://harmreductiontherapy.org/
**The image above was originally posted to Flickr by Doug Kline at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ 26728047@N05/7104959695. It was reviewed on 15 June 2014 by FlickreviewR and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.
Organizer and beneficiary
Alya Briceno
Organizer
San Francisco, CA
Center for Harm Reduction Therapy
Beneficiary
