Sacramento County opens 11 'CORE' mental health and wellness sites in less than a year

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento city and county officials kept homeless residents at the forefront of their minds when they partnered for the county's 11th Community Outreach Recovery Empowerment (CORE) Program site on X Street.

The county's CORE program sites host outreach workers from local nonprofits to connect community members with mental health and wellness resources, as well as assistance with finding work or other support networks.

A county health program manager said city officials chose X Street because it is a prime location for residents who don't have access to transportation to take them outside the area.

"The city was crucial in finding the site along with Hope Cooperative," said Allison Williams. "Each program is really geared toward the community folks are sighted in, and depending on their location, individuals are walking in and accessing those services, attending groups, having a safe space to get on a computer, maybe look for a job or connect with a peer."

Hope Cooperative, the nonprofit currently housing more than 500 people, has run the X Street site since opening Oct. 5.

According to Mayor Darrell Steinberg, the CORE program site was once a medical building that sat vacant for about two years.

County officials say it's too early to truly assess the outcomes of the new CORE program site, but the goal of the site is supporting homeless residents and getting any adult — housed or otherwise — the mental health and wellness resources they seek.

"Partnering with the city to see those services come to the individuals who need it the most is really exciting," said Williams.

A Bay Area Community Services (BACS)-backed CORE program site also opened earlier this month on 7171 Bowling Drive, Suite 300 to support residents with behavioral health challenges.

Existing CORE program sites include:

1. BACS CORE Cedar, Opened Dec. 2, 2022
2. El Hogar CORE Mariposa, Opened Feb. 15, 2023
3. Turning Point CORE Rosin, Opened Feb. 22, 2023
4. BACS CORE Sycamore, Opened March 7, 2023
5. Turning Point CORE Madison, Opened March 15, 2023
6. El Hogar CORE Marigold, Opened May 10, 2023
7. Turning Point CORE Elk Grove, Opened May 17, 2023
8. Hope Cooperative CORE Marconi, Opened June 15, 2023
9. BACS CORE Willow, Opened Oct. 4, 2023
10. Hope Cooperative CORE X Street, Opened Oct. 5, 2023
11. Hope Cooperative CORE Howe (Outpatient program only)

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