BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise is seeking additional resources to address homelessness and expand services for people experiencing severe mental health and substance abuse issues in our community.
City officials applied for a $5 million federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant aimed at improving behavioral health support and recovery resources.
If approved, they would launch Boise STREETS (Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support) to improve care for adults experiencing homelessness who are also living with severe mental illness, substance use disorders, or co-occurring behavioral health conditions.
“We know that the need exists; we continue to watch for these opportunities where we can be created with funding to fill gaps where we know we need to increase capacity,” said Jessica Barawed, who advises the city of Boise on homelessness issues.
WATCH | Learn more about how the city hopes the grant will help expand resources
The grant opportunity was announced in June, and applications were due in July.
“It’ll come along with funding for increased services for substance abuse, and behavioral health services as well as recovery housing beds,” she said.
Idaho News 6 asked whether the application was connected to recent incidents along the Boise Greenbelt.
“Yeah, that’s a great question; this has been a long-standing need within our community that it’s not related to any single situation or any single area,” she said.
Barawed said grants focused on homelessness and behavioral health remain a priority for the city. Boise police currently work with three behavioral health clinicians who assist officers responding to calls involving unhoused individuals.
“Specifically inside of BPD, it would help add a behavioral health clinician spot that would help with the coordination of homelessness-related calls,” Barawed said.
She explained that adding another clinician would strengthen the city’s response system and improve connections between people in need and available resources.
The city expects to hear back on the grant application by the end of September.
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