WHAT'S NEXT

Tell King County: restore funding for the most vulnerable homeless
  1. Signatures
    209 out of 250
    Petitioning
    1. Executive, King County (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Executive, King County (Dow Constantine)
      • DCHS Director (Jackie MacLean)
  2. Created By
    Katie Bethell
    Seattle, WA
About this Petition Petition Letter
How We Won

Aug 02, 2011

King County's much-needed Homeless Outreach, Stabilization and Transition program (HOST) was slated to lose 86% of its funding, but thanks to concerned supporters' calls and signatures, nearly all of that funding was saved.

The stakes were high. HOST, a program of the Downtown Emergency Service Center, provides essential outreach and engagement services to some of the most vulnerable people in King County. Hundreds depend on the service.

"This petition helped to save lives," said Change.org member Penny Carothers. "No less important is the reduction in the vulnerability and chaos that would have descended on the lives of those who already suffer so disproportionately. As the child of one who is much better off because of this tool, I can’t thank you enough for making this resource available and so easy to use."

To all the people who spoke out for the HOST program, DESC executive director Bill Hobson writes on their website, "I cannot tell you how proud I am to call this region my home. Thank you for the large role you have played in giving hope to the people we serve everyday that things can get better."

King County will cut $814,862 from DESC's HOST Outreach & Engagement Program (86% of total funding) on December 1, 2010. This funding cut will devastate the program, causing the immediate suspension of outreach and engagement services to hundreds of vulnerable men and women

Time is short. The King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) plans to finalize these cuts THIS WEEK. Your immediate action is needed!! Tell King County Executive Dow Constantine and Department of Community and Human Services Director Jackie MacLean to restore HOST's funding.

*Sign the petition to send a letter today!*

Homeless Outreach, Stabilization and Transition serves men and women with long histories of homelessness and numerous psychiatric hospitalizations, living on the streets of Seattle with untreated schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other serious mental illnesses and often co-existing chemical dependency.

Left unengaged, these individuals cycle back and forth from hospital, to jail, to the street. These are the most visible, vulnerable and costly individuals in Seattle. They are frequently exploited on the streets by other people. One-third are defined as high utilizers of jail or hospitals, or referred directly by the criminal justice system to HOST.


Recent Signatures

Restore HOST funding

Dear King County Executive Constantine and DCHS Director MacLean,

DESC's HOST provides vital services to our county's most vulnerable homeless residents and many of the high utilizers of jails and hospitals – those living out on the streets with serious mental illness who are unable to get help on their own. It has a 15 year track record of connecting people to the help they need, and stemming greater crisis costs in the process. It is inhumane and shortsighted to cut this vital community service.

This will cut nearly half of all outreach and engagement to homeless people occurring in Seattle.

Currently, over 150 men and women are actively engaged with the HOST team. Nearly all of these people will lose all mental health services on December 1. They will not be transferred or 'picked up' by another program. The jails and E.R.s of our city will become their new safety net this holiday season.

There will be no efforts to engage an additional 200 people known to HOST staff.

These state-mandated cuts to non-Medicaid funding are disproportionately placed on the most vulnerable of citizens. Efficiencies in county administration should be fully exhausted before cutting direct survival services to mentally ill homeless men and women. Please re-evaluate how these cuts are being administered, and restore funding to the HOST program.

[Your name]

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