5 minute read
5013c Weekly
by Zach Rosen
Sanctuary Centers
Sanctuary House provides inpatient care for 12 individuals in this historic Victorian house from 1902
Architect Christine Pierron’s rendering of a mixed-use building deemed a “community benefit” by the City Council
Homelessness, substance abuse, and mental illness have long been idenoffer 100% low-income tified and discussed as issues affecting the local community, along with the stigmas that still surround them. While an individual can be affected housing and there are by one of these issues, often times a combination, or even all of these factors, contribute to an individual’s condition. Sanctuary Centers seeks to offer an integrated currently over eighty approach to treating these individual issues so their patients can heal themselves as a whole in a safe, supportive environment. Moreover, the recent influence of people waiting for one of the pandemic has compounded these problems within our society. The worldthe thirty-six apartments. wide shutdown has fueled unemployment, leading to housing insecurity, and the quarantine has left those with mental illnesses isolated and not always able Sanctuary Sketch: Elevation North to access the same level of support as normal. Fortunately, during these historic times Sanctuary Centers has been able to keep their services continually operatThe live-in facilities are offered at a price that is a fraction of similar facilities in ing and they are still providing treatment and care for their patients. Demand for the area, and the Integrated Care Clinic offers a sliding scale and accepts most their services is up, with Sanctuary Centers making a concerted effort to try and forms of insurance, including Medi-Cal, with an emphasis that patients will not meet the needs of the veteran, homeless, and youth populations they serve. be turned away due to inability to pay.
Sanctuary Centers treats a range of conditions that stem from mental illness To offer patients support as they establish a more independent lifestyle, and substance abuse, including the frequent co-occurrence of the two. Their Sanctuary Centers also operates their Supportive Housing program out of two services are directed to those suffering from mental illnesses like schizophrenia, facilities. This low-income housing is available to those who are affected by bipolar disorder, and Asperger’s, as well as condition-based mental illnesses like mental illness and/or substance abuse. The Arlington Apartments is a 28-unit trauma abuse and PTSD. Many of these conditions affect an individual’s ability apartment building located downtown and situated right next door to their to live independently and maintain a healthy lifestyle without a constant care other facilities. Nearby are the Hollister Apartments, an additional eight-unit provider. For these patients, Sanctuary Centers provides Inpatient Care at their apartment building. These apartments feature individual case management, picturesque Victorian Sanctuary House that was built in 1902 and offers 12 live-in in-house support, and a landlord that understands and supports each individpositions for inpatient care. This allows patients who may otherwise need hospiual’s needs. Living with other patients creates a communal atmosphere and a talization to maintain an independent lifestyle but receive the continual support lifestyle supported by the other residents. they require. Through individual and group therapies, career development, and Demand for these facilities is higher than ever. Homelessness increased an independent living skills courses and other services, patients are taught lasting estimated 45% last year with 60% of the homeless population in Santa Barbara lessons and hone the skills necessary to establish their own autonomy. suffering from substance abuse problems. Sanctuary Centers is one of only two
For patients who do not require around the clock treatment, or are transferprograms that offer 100% low-income housing and there are currently over 80 ring out of an inpatient program, there is a range of services offered through people waiting for one of the 36 apartments. their Outpatient Care facility. This allows individuals to receive treatment and To address the occupancy limitations, they have been working on a new supsupport while establishing an independent life. Patients receive treatment portive housing facility that will be a culmination of their other services. This through a number of services that include psychotherapy, recreational groups, 34-unit building will offer low- to no-income apartments with an integrated and even art-therapy, which uses the emotions expressed through mediums like care facility that offers free medical, dental, and behavioral health services, as dance, poetry, and art, to guide a patient’s thoughts through a healing process well as free psychiatry and treatments for substance abuse. They currently can that develops and grows the individual. Sanctuary Centers offers flat packages only meet 10% of the community’s demand and this new facility, once comfor their Outpatient Care facility in full-, half-, or quarter-day programs that pleted, will be able greatly increase their ability to offer services. The building include a range of their services and allows patients to select the level of treatis being self-funded through the organization and donations, and while the ment they’re seeking, or just what their personal schedule allows. Individual pandemic has affected aspects of the building process, Sanctuary Centers is still sessions for one-on-one, or group and couple/family counseling, are also promaking progress. Meanwhile, they continue offering their integrated services vided for patients who are not looking to sign up for a flat package. to those affected by these issues. Regardless of the enduring stigmas around
As mental illness and substance abuse often have associated physical ailhomelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse, these issues will continue to ments, their Integrated Care Clinic offers a comprehensive solution to proaffect members of our community. The pandemic is certainly not going to help viding medical, dental, and other health services to those in need. Incoming these issues and the recent discussions around racial injustice have helped bring patients are assisted by a Behavioral Health Advocate that greets and guides light to how societal systems have helped to incubate some of these conditions. them through the process and services available. Most of the Sanctuary Centers The answer is not a simple one, but with over 10,000 clients served and low-cost facilities operate off of a private pay model (with insurance billing services housing provided to over 250 individuals, at an 85% sobriety rate over the last available), which is less reliant on the care afforded by the insurance provider, ten years, Sanctuary Centers is helping provide multi-faceted solutions to the that allows them to maintain the high standard of care they wish to provide. complex issues affecting our community. •MJ 34 MONTECITO JOURNAL “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou 2 – 9 July 2020
