ANCHORAGE, Alaska (January 8, 2019) – The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority board of trustees has approved a grant of $350,000 for the Juneau Housing First Collaborative. The grant will support Phase 2 of the Forget Me Not permanent supportive housing project, which is planning 32 additional housing units for chronically homeless adults who suffer from alcoholism, serious mental illness and other co-occurring disorders, and have a history of high emergency service utilization. The Trust also supported Phase 1 of the project, a newly constructed 32-unit facility.
“At the Trust we understand that permanent, supported housing is a successful intervention that works to reduce homelessness, lessen strains on emergency services, and help individuals more meaningfully engage with available community services,” remarked trustee Carlton Smith, Juneau.
“This effort will have a tremendous impact on the lives of Trust beneficiaries in Juneau, and we are happy to be one part of this important community effort,” said trustee Laraine Derr, Juneau.
The Trust grant will join funding from multiple community partners including the City and Borough of Juneau, the Juneau Community Foundation, Bartlett Regional Hospital, and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation.