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August Newsletter Highlights:
Read how our community has come together to plan the next steps of homelessness response, join us for one of our many upcoming service provider trainings, access new resources for youth, and more
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As public budgets tighten, policies become stricter, and costs rise, we must invest in preventing homelessness and supporting those in need more efficiently and effectively. Sacramento, like communities across the country, is addressing these constraints while leaning into collaboration and creativity.
That’s why hundreds of local leaders, service providers, agency staff, and advocates recently joined community sessions to discuss what’s working and what needs to change.
Hosted by the Continuum of Care, these conversations elevated the need for focus on:
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Increasing prevention efforts to keep people from moving into homelessness by providing support, including bridge payments to help with circumstances such as unexpected costs and temporary job loss.
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Sustaining existing shelter and housing to assure that the beds, units, and services we’ve already built continue to serve the community.
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Strengthening partnerships to build out comprehensive, coordinated street outreach efforts.
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Connecting, resourcing, and integrating homelessness services with housing and health systems to accelerate transitions into permanent housing
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Deepening the connection between housing and behavioral health systems to address mental health, substance use, and overall well-being.
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Tapping the power of CalAIM to support medically vulnerable populations by increasing coordination across sectors and funding streams.
This feedback is guiding development of Sacramento’s updated Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan (RCHAP).
Next, the updated plan will be reviewed by the Sacramento City Council, County Board of Supervisors, and the Continuum of Care Board in the coming weeks. With approval, it will be submitted alongside Sacramento’s application for the state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP-6) program at the end of August to help secure millions in funding for community services and investments. Beyond bringing needed funds to local organizations, this plan provides a clear framework that helps us work together without duplicating efforts or heading in different directions.
We are grateful to all who joined these recent conversations and shared their insights. As always, we will continue to steward a responsive and resilient homelessness response system on behalf of our community.
In partnership,
Ayanna McGee
Director of Systems Implementation, Sacramento Steps Forward
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Continuum of Care August Meetings
Discover more about our local Continuum of Care (CoC)—which leads our regional planning, coordination, and funding to resolve homelessness—by joining upcoming committee meetings:
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HMIS & Data: Thursday. August 14 at 10:00 a.m.
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Community Accountability: Wednesday, August 20, 9:00 a.m.
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Point-in-Time Count: Wednesday, August 21 at 9:00 a.m.
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Upcoming Trainings for Service Providers
CAS Assessor Training Series
Since Fall 2024, 786 assessors have been trained and certified and the next certification series begins this month! This training equips Sacramento-based providers in HMIS-participating agencies to assess client vulnerability using the Housing Conversation Tool, develop strength-based Individualized Support Plans, refer clients to system services, and connect them to available supports.
Note: Assessors certified on or before Tuesday, December 31, 2024 must complete this training series and pass the updated quiz by Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
Disability Rights & Best Practices: August 6
Join Sacramento Steps Forward and Disability Rights California (DRC) on August 6 at 10:00 a.m. for a foundational webinar on disability laws, current issues, and inclusive etiquette. This session will help Sacramento providers strengthen day-to-day interactions and support for people with disabilities. This training is open to all providers in the homelessness response system.
Fair Housing Training: August 20
Save the date! Learn how Fair Housing laws support Housing First principles, prevent homelessness, and expand access to housing. Join Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC) and Project Sentinel to interactively explore protected categories, reasonable accommodations, and habitability standards through real-world scenarios. This training fulfills the annual requirement for HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) subrecipients. Open to all Sacramento providers.
Housing Problem Solving Training: September 17 and November 5
Limited seats available! This in-person training is nearly full for September, with limited availability in November. This session is required for Coordinated Access System (CAS) Assessor certification and equips participants with strength-based, trauma-informed skills rooted in motivational interviewing. The training also offers networking time to strengthen collaboration.
Note: We're revamping our training hub and have temporarily paused the addition of third-party trainings.
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The Frontline Learning Collaborative
Mark your calendars for the Frontline Learning Collaborative on Thursday, August 28, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. at the Rose Family Creative Empowerment Center. This meeting will include a presentation from Project Food Box, an initiative providing farm-fresh produce to communities who need it most.
This is an opportunity for frontline staff to connect, learn, and grow together.
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Fentanyl Awareness & Action Summit
On Thursday, September 4, leaders including Sacramento County, Metro Fire, Safer Sacramento, and others will host the Fentanyl Awareness & Action Summit at the Citrus Heights Event Center. This all-day event will focus on confronting the fentanyl crisis through shared solutions and stronger collaboration.
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Community Event: Homeless Connect
Homeless Connect 2025 is scheduled for Saturday, August 9, offering a day of on-site services, care, and community for people experiencing homelessness. Free SacRT bus and light rail rides will be available to help guests access the event. Hosted by Josh’s Heart, this volunteer-driven effort brings together providers, resources, and neighbors to create a welcoming space centered on connection and support.
| | Updates & Progress Points | | | |
How the Coordinated Access System Helped People in June 2025
Sacramento's Coordinated Access System (CAS) is our community's door to homelessness and housing services. In June, it connected 5,925 people to support. The CAS helped prevent homelessness for 14 people, supported 214 to become housed, and enrolled 101 in shelter.
To access the CAS, call 2-1-1 and press 8.
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Sacramento's State of Homelessness in June 2025
According to data gleaned from our Homeless Information Management System, by the end of June 2025:
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2,122 people entered homelessness,
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1,618 people exited homelessness,
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6,770 people were actively experiencing homelessness, and
- the net increase was an additional 504 people experiencing homelessness within Sacramento.
To get the most out of the dashboard, check out the how-to video to discover functions you might not notice at first glance.
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Updated Website Coming Soon from Sacramento Steps Forward
We’re putting the finishing touches on a newly revamped Sacramento Steps Forward website, designed to be easier to navigate, more informative, and responsive to what our community needs. This new site directly integrates feedback you submitted through our survey in May, as well as an updated look.
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Engaging with Tomorrow's Homelessness Response Leaders
At a recent Summer Civic Academy, Sacramento Steps Forward connected with high school students eager to make a difference. Geoffrey Fralick, our Youth Specialist, shared about youth homelessness in Sacramento, the Youth Action Board (YAB), and ways young people can get involved in the response. The interest and follow-up from students was a testament to why it’s so important we create space for youth to participate. Building a stronger homelessness response system means engaging all voices, especially those ready to lead.
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Provider Spotlight: Sacramento County Office of Education’s Project Teach
Children experiencing homelessness often face barriers to staying enrolled in school or accessing early education. Sacramento County Office of Education’s Project Teach (SCOE) is helping change that by connecting families to school-based support, early learning programs, and housing resources. Since the pandemic, they’ve increased identification of young children in shelters by 134 percent and are working across systems to keep families supported and students learning.
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Vital Document Legal Hotline for Youth
Getting vital documents like IDs and birth certificates is often difficult for youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness. To help, the National Network for Youth and Baker McKenzie launched I Am Here: Vital Document Legal Hotline for Youth a free, national resource connecting young people with legal professionals who can guide them through the process.
The hotline is open Wednesdays from 12:00–8:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. PT). Calls outside those hours go to voicemail and will be returned.
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Share Your Work: Be Featured as a Provider
Help us highlight the great work happening across Sacramento! We’re inviting providers to share their progress, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration to be featured in our upcoming newsletters and other communications. This is a chance to showcase your impact, inspire new partnerships, and help shape the conversation around homelessness response. Fill out the form below to share your story and connect with the broader community.
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2026 Community Health Improvement Grants
Dignity Health has opened the 2026 Community Health Improvement Grants cycle for its Greater Sacramento Market, offering up to $1.1 million in total funding for 501(c)(3) organizations serving Sacramento and Yolo Counties. Grants of $20,000–$100,000 will support 12-month projects beginning in April 2026 that address: access to care and resources, mental health and substance use, and chronic disease prevention and management. Proposals must include at least two collaborating partners and emphasize prevention, unmet needs, and community capacity-building. Full applications are due by 5:00 p.m. PT on Thursday, September 12, 2024. Visit the Community Health Improvement Grants webpage for details or email communitygrantssacramento@commonspirit.org.
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