Section 2985.3 Of Article 5. Supportive Housing Program For Mentally Ill Parolees From California Penal Code >> Title 1. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 5.
2985.3
. (a) Each provider shall offer services, in accordance with
Section 5806 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to obtain and
maintain health and housing stability while participants are on
parole, to enable the parolee to comply with the terms of parole, and
to augment mental health treatment provided to other parolees. The
services shall be offered to participants in their home, or be made
as easily accessible to participants as possible and shall include,
but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Case management services.
(2) Parole discharge planning.
(3) Housing location services, and, if needed, move-in cost
assistance.
(4) Rental subsidies.
(5) Linkage to other services, such as vocational, educational,
and employment services, as needed.
(6) Benefit entitlement application and appeal assistance.
(7) Transportation assistance to obtain services and health care
needed.
(8) Assistance obtaining appropriate identification.
(b) For participants identified prior to release from state
prison, upon the provider's receipt of referral and, in collaboration
with the parole agent and, if appropriate, staff, the intake
coordinator or case manager of the provider shall, when possible:
(1) Receive all prerelease assessments and discharge plans.
(2) Draft a plan for the participant's transition into housing
that serves the participant's needs and is affordable, such as
permanent supportive housing, or a transitional housing program that
includes support services and demonstrates a clear transition pathway
to permanent housing.
(3) Engage the participant to actively participate in services
upon release.
(4) Assist in obtaining identification for the participant, if
necessary.
(5) Assist in applying for any benefits for which the participant
is eligible.
(c) (1) To facilitate the transition of participants identified
prior to release into the community and participants identified
during parole into supportive housing, each provider shall, on an
ongoing basis, not less than quarterly, assess each participant's
needs and include in each participant's assessment a plan to foster
independence and a residence in permanent housing once parole is
complete.
(2) Upon referral to the provider, the provider shall work to
transition participants from the department's rental assistance to
other mainstream rental assistance benefits if those benefits are
necessary to enable the participant to remain in stable housing, and
shall prioritize transitioning participants to these benefits in a
manner that allows participants to remain housed, when possible,
without moving. Mainstream rental assistance benefits may include,
but are not limited to, federal Housing Choice Voucher assistance,
Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs
Supportive Housing vouchers, or other rental assistance programs.
(3) The participant's parole discharge plan and the assessments
shall consider the need for and prioritize linkage to county mental
health services and housing opportunities that are supported by the
Mental Health Services Act, the Mental Health Services Act Housing
Program, or other funding sources that finance permanent supportive
housing for persons with mental illness, so that the participant may
continue to achieve all recovery goals of the program and remain
permanently housed once the term of parole ends.