Innovative housing, treatment, and psychiatric services for homeless individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness at risk of court-involvement with a focus on competency clients in Colorado’s Western Slope A Special Place Corporation, a Colorado-based 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization, was established to address the fundamental health-related socials needs, including housing, transportation, food, physical health, and mental health, of homeless individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness in Mesa County, CO. Due to the increased number of such cases, these individuals are languishing in jails while presenting a significant strain on taxpayers, the legal system, and law enforcement. A Special Place opened a 10-bed permanent supportive housing facility within Mesa County, CO on August 1, 2024 contingent upon grant funding and community support. Collaboration with community partners is ongoing to best meet the needs of identified competency patients and homeless individuals with serious mental illness at risk of court involvement. Additional funding is being sought for a second location to serve females. A cornerstone of A Special Place will be our community-based housing program where clients will be supervised 24/7 by trained and supportive staff for competency patients and daily, high-level management for seriously mentally ill participants. Collaboration with community partners will ensure referrals for housing and wraparound services to address the comprehensive needs of this population. The success of the clients of A Special Place will include high-intensity nursing-driven case management to proactively address care of our clients in a "whole person" approach. Nursing staff and case managers will work to refer to community partners, address medication compliance, and prevent adverse outcomes. An emphasis will be placed on transportation, food, clothing, and disease prevention. Our clients will receive in-person, on-site, and/or in-office evidence-based psychiatric services and psychotherapy by certified staff. An emphasis on use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics will be encouraged when appropriate. Clients will be engaged in individual and group psychotherapy with an emphasis on life skills, medication compliance, and self-advocacy. Referrals may be sent to: office@aspecialplacecolorado.org
A Special Place Corporation is a Colorado-based 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization (EIN: 81-3259702) which is actively seeking funding, in the form of grant-funding, donations in kind, and tax exempt donations, for our community-based housing and client support services. Funding will be used for operating costs specifically for housing, staffing, security, transportation, and technology for program support. If your organization is interested in more information on funding opportunities, please email A Special Place: office@aspecialplacecolorado.org
