SB PATH expands mental health services for those unhoused in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara PATH is seeing many unhoused people face mental health challenges.
"We are always focused on mental health awareness during the month of May for mental health awareness month … We’re really trying to focus even more on it by providing healthy spaces as well as healthy activities," said regional director Elizabeth Adams of Santa Barbara PATH.
One resident who wishes not to be named is grateful for the organization’s new services.
"They’re compassionate and they’ve added resources that we as guests need," said a resident of Santa Barbara PATH.
"We’ve been able to conduct these workshops through our partnerships … which are vital to the work we do here .. for example … yoga … journaling workshops … we provide monthly haircuts for our guests," said community affairs coordinator Gabriella Rigonati of Santa Barbara PATH.
This month, Santa Barbara PATH offered a new resume building workshop.
“I’m really excited about our resume building classes … we just had one … we had four or five individuals with one on one attention with a professional writer," said associate director of philanthropy and community affairs J.V. Vallejos of Santa Barbara PATH.
"So we’re trying to create more activities for our guests to participate in … that allow our guest to engage in mindful activities as well as self help," said Rigonati.
One of the organization's newest projects is building a wellness room.
The organization leaders are welcoming community support.
"My hope is we can come together as a community and increase the visibility of homelessness," said Vallejos.
The PATH team just finished painting all the walls with calming colors for their residents.
Their hope is to continue adding more resources every month and beyond.
“Not only are they life saving … but they continue to add to them based on our needs and our comfort … {Gets emotional} … if it weren’t for PATH … I don’t know," said a resident of Santa Barbara PATH.
As part of Mental Health Awareness month, the PATH team is working to make its site more trauma-informed and to provide more mental health and wellness programs onsite.
Leaders of the nonprofit shared some of the latest programs offered.
These include: AA meetings, Journaling classes, Hair cuts, Yoga, and painting the walls calming colors.
According to SB PATH, the organization is an interim housing program serving homeless men and women. PATH provides access to 100 beds year round for referrals from partner agencies, including: Cottage Health, County Behavioral Wellness, Santa Barbara Police Department, County Probation, County Adult Protective Services, and City of Goleta.
If you would like to help support Santa Barbara PATH, visit: https://santabarbaraca.gov/government/priorities-policies/homelessness-initiatives/people-assisting-homeless-path.
