Community Solutions is 189 people strong with 120 working out of the new Gilroy office on Murray Avenue. With a budget of $ 15.8 million for 2012-13 they are a significant player in the world of social services in the South County area. They are also a smart player! In the world of social services, duplication is a dirty word. Community Solutions, and the other members of the South County Collaborative, work hard at making sure duplication of services is avoided and that just the right amount of overlap is in place. In these times of limited resources this is an essential strategic move.
Around the halls of Community Solutions there is an infections spirit of optimism that goes with their moniker— Creating Opportunities / Changing Lives. Community Solutions offers a monstrous array of services:
Children & Youth First 5, RJP / DRP, Family & Children, Aftercare, Ranch Program, Therapeutic Behavioral Services, FSP Children, FSP Youth, STOP, SOC, SOS.
Adult & Older Adults Adult Traditional Mental Health, Older Adult Traditional Mental Health, Dual Diagnosis, FSP Criminal Justice Services, FSP for Parolees, FSP Adult, FSP Older Adult, La Casa Del Puente, DUI Program.
Solutions to Violence La Isla Pacifica Shelter, Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, Legal Services, Outreach & Education.
Housing & Residential La Casa Del Puente, La Isla Pacifica, THUs, Housing.
A quick translation of some of the alphabet soup tells a lot about what this organization is all about.“ FSP” goes to full service partnerships.“ THU” are transitional housing units.“ STOP” is Supportive and Therapeutic Option Program. Community Solutions is about filling the gaps in local social services, avoiding duplication and making sure those in need get help. Privacy restricts access to many of the success stories at Community Solutions but some videos produced by Community Solutions and some of the guest speakers at community events present a powerful message of success.
Community Solution began in 1972 as a community social service response to the needs of Village Avante, a lowincome housing project in Morgan Hill. One of the remarkable strengths of Community Solutions has been its ability to adapt to changing social needs, funding structures, community and societal changes. The size, effectiveness and diversity of Community Solutions is a testament to their ability to adapt. The last five years has been a growth cycle for Community Solutions. With growth comes the obligation to evaluate existing services and search for new ways to address societal problems. Community Solutions often has to deal with the hardest parts of life: human and domestic trafficking, child and sexual abuse, parolees, mental illness, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse. Many would deny the existence of these issues in society, but without organizations like Community Solutions South County would have much more frequent and personal contact with these issues.
Photos taken at Grand Opening of Community Solutions’ new facility in Gilroy. Clockwise from top: Dan & Terese Martin, Barbara Orth, Lisa Cassera, Debbi Sanchez, Maria Cano & Nancy Corbridge, and Erin O’ Brien, President & CEO, Community Solutions.
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