Under a resolution adopted by City Council last night, West Sacramento is voicing its support for Sutter Health’s Getting to Zero campaign, a regional effort to end chronic homelessness by aligning programs and resources around a low-or-no barrier approach to housing individuals experiencing homelessness.

“Sutter Health is showcasing the homelessness enforcement and homelessness services work that the City of West Sacramento has been modeling as an effective, results-oriented collaboration example for the region” said West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon. “By bringing unexpected allies to the work, Getting to Zero positions our region to effectively and compassionately address homelessness and its impacts.”

Working with public and private partners in Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties, Sutter Health will match up to $10 million in contributions and work to raise a total of $20 million over three years to support a low-or-no barrier model that provides the chronically homeless with housing, and then quickly offers the support services they need to achieve and maintain stability. The goal of the Getting to Zero effort is to reach Functional Zero – when the number of homeless people is equal to, or less than, the number of permanent housing units available to them – in Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties.

The West Sacramento City Council vote is consistent with recent actions taken by nearby jurisdictions. The Placer County Board of Supervisors, Yolo County Board of Supervisors, Davis City Council, Roseville City Council, Sacramento City Council, and Woodland City Council also have adopted resolutions in support of Getting to Zero.

Sutter Health has long been committed to investing in programs that improve the health of the communities it serves. In addition to Getting to Zero, the organization funds community-based services, mobile clinics, transportation services, prevention and wellness programs and more. In 2015, Sutter Health’s network of physician organizations, hospitals and other health care providers made a total community benefit investment of $957 million.

“As a business leader and health care provider, we at Sutter Health understand that homelessness touches every individual in our community,” said James Conforti, President of Sutter Health Valley Area. “Through the Getting to Zero campaign, we hope to bring together partners who can commit the resources to support programs that will make a meaningful impact in ending homelessness.”

Through the Getting to Zero campaign, Sutter Health has funded four matching grants to support low-or-no barrier responses to homelessness in the City of Davis ($233,000), City of Roseville ($250,000), City of Sacramento ($433,000), and Placer County ($1 million). The City of West Sacramento and Yolo County are each developing proposals to receive Getting to Zero matching grants.