For Immediate Release
Contact: Dr. Jonathan Porteus 420-7004
or: Steve LaRosa 487-1151

The Effort, Inc. (Non-Profit Agency) Celebrates
The Initial Resident Occupancy at Martin Luther King Village
(Provides Residences and Extensive Social Services)

Does it really take a village to support one person to change? On the morning of Wednesday, December 17th, The Effort, a Sacramento non-profit agency and key partner in the Sacramento County 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness is hosting the initial occupancy of Martin Luther King Village, located at 3900 47th Avenue in Sacramento.
25 formerly homeless adults, representing the first wave of MLK Village residents, will be moving in during the 3rd week of December. Full occupancy of the Village’s 60 individual and 20 duplex units will be achieved by March 2009. The MLK Village, developed by Mercy Housing and operated by Mercy Services, is based on the cutting edge “Housing First” model that provides housing along with supportive services.
Eventually, 50 MLK Village residents will receive support services provided by The Effort, Inc., including onsite case management (shepherding clients through social services and benefit programs), primary care treatment, job readiness training, substance abuse counseling, and mental health support. The Effort will also operate an on-site Medical Clinic, a satellite clinic of our Health Center at The Effort’s headquarters at 19th and J Street.
In addition to being formerly homeless, the 50 residents served by The Effort are all former frequent non-urgent users of Emergency Rooms (often referred to as “Frequent Fliers”) receiving services through The Effort and Sutter Medical Center Sacramento’s innovative T3 program (Triage – Transport – Treat). In terms of it savings to the health system alone, The Effort is reducing non-urgent emergency room visits by 55% and inpatient hospital stays by 36% through the T3 program.
The Effort’s MLK Village medical clinic will be available to all 80 residents of MLK Village. Case management for the 30 additional cottages will be provided by Turning Point Community Programs and is funded by Sacramento County’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA / Prop 63) money.

This opening is a major product of public and private agencies working together. More importantly, it is a reflection of the Sacramento community providing appropriate care for those people who are most in need. Robert S. Caulk, CEO - The Effort, Inc.

Tours of MLK Village, the cottages, meeting rooms, community center, kitchen, etc., will be provided to the media at any time between 8am to 1pm, Wednesday, December 17th.
8am – 1pm Tours of MLK Village available (media welcome)
11am Introduction of the T3 program at MLK Village. Robert S. Caulk, PhD CEO – The Effort. Inc.
11:10 Comments--T3 and Sutter Medical Center. Larry Maas – Assistant Administrator, Sutter Medical Center
11:20 Comments--Mercy Housing and MLK Village. Chris Glaudel – Vice President of Asset Management, Mercy Housing
11:30am-1:00pm “Meet the Team.” Buffet and social with MLK Village residents, Effort staff and Board members

“We know that personal problems that confront chronic homeless people involve complex mental health, alcohol and drug abuse, and physical health issues. The Effort is working hard to put together a system of care to improve their lives as well as reduce the costs to the Sacramento community, which include law enforcement, health services and mental health services; all paid by the public. Placement of homeless in their own homes is a major step towards solving this problem. In our particular situation, 50 people who were formerly utilizing local Emergency Rooms as their drop-in center will now be served by our on-site medical clinic as well as other services.”
-- Robert S. Caulk, CEO, The Effort, Inc.

Attention: This release replaces the previous one, which was sent on December 9th and December 10th, as there were errors in the earlier release. Please use this one instead.