Services
Clara-Mateo Alliance, Inc. is a unique collaboration between the public and private sectors in the Silicon Valley area. The Alliance includes The VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, the cities of Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Jose and Mountain View, plus several private foundations, corporations, individuals, and over forty community service providers. These local entities work together to provide safe shelter and services to homeless individuals, couples and families from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and the surrounding communities.
Clara-Mateo Alliance offers two types of programs: residential shelters and transitional programs and the Elsa Segovia Center, a non-residential drop-in center. The "residential shelters" should be a link to "The shelter facilities include" and "Elsa Segovia Center" should link to its own page.
The shelter facilities include:
- A 63-bed shelter for homeless individuals and couples
- A twelve-unit family wing including shelter and transitional housing for families with children
- 30 transitional housing units for individuals and couples
- The Elsa Segovia Center (a day service center for homeless or low-income women, children and families)
- An employment resource room with access to telephones, computers, the internet, and a fax machine
- Community dining areas and clean, comfortable common areas
- Highly trained staff on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Security provided by VA Palo Alto Health System personnel around the clock
The shelter opened its doors in 1997 in response to the growing need for homeless services in our area and was originally managed by The Salvation Army. The program came into its own in October of 1999 when the non-profit agency, Clara-Mateo Alliance, Inc. was formed. It is now classified as a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt public benefit organization.
Besides providing basic shelter needs, CMA offers a wide range of other services, such as:
- Emergency support
- Intake, assessment and planning
- Information and referral services
- Client advocacy
- Crisis intervention
- Peer counseling
- Sobriety maintenance
- Employment resources
- Job training
- Budgeting and money management
- Transportation vouchers
- Housing search assistance
How does it work?
The shelter itself is housed on the grounds of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) in Menlo Park, California. VAPAHCS leases more than 20,000 square feet to CMA, currently at below market rates, and provides 24-hour maintenance, federal policing, on-call nursing, psychiatric consultation, supportive mental and medical health services, job training and all utilities. Operating expenses are covered by grants from local City and County governments, private corporations, charitable foundations, and donations from caring individuals throughout the Valley. The Another Way canister program is also a source of income for CMA.
Applicants are interviewed personally interviewed by the CMA director of admissions who then makes an assessment of each individual.
All accepted shelter and transitional housing residents must agree to the terms of a written Service Plan that focuses on employment, income, money management and, if needed, psychiatric, medical, alcohol and/or drug rehabilitation.
Residents live in a structured, group setting and meet daily with members of the CMA staff, known as Case Managers. The role of the Case Manager is to assist residents in developing and meeting the terms of their Service Plans. Many of the Case Managers were once homeless themselves, and understand the challenges of overcoming homelessness. Case Managers are also advocates who help match the needs of their clients with social services locally available, and monitor those services as well as the progress of their clients.
The staff and residents work together to make the shelter a positive place to live. The residents have regular community meetings and a residents' council to promote cooperative, safe living. Staff members support community members in maintaining a cooperative environment that emphasizes personal responsibility and development, communication, problem solving, and meaningful change. This teamwork produces a more homelike, respectful and supportive shelter.
At least two staff members are on duty 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to supervise and assist the residents.
Shelter residents may stay a maximum of 90 days. Frequently more time is needed to obtain stable housing, thus the on-site Transitional Housing Program was established to help address this need. Transitional residents each pay a program fee, and may stay up to 24 months.
