Program areas at OPCS
Reentry Program: Approximately 13,000 prisoners are released every year in Arizona, 2,000 of these former inmates will return to Pima County. These individuals face a range of challenges including housing, substance abuse, mental illness, and difficulty in finding employment. The goal of Old Pueblo's Reentry Program is to help these men and woman reintegrate successfully into our community to prevent recidivism. We offer them housing, counseling, substance abuse treatment, employment assistance and other support services. Last fiscal year our program served 200 individuals, representing 10% of the total reentry population in our county. At exit, approximately 21% had an income, 26% achieved housing stability. This program is funded primarily by government grants and contracts. OPCS Home Fund helps cover the occupancy cost for individuals not eligible for government support.
Supportive Housing Program: This program aims to end homelessness by providing long-term homeless individuals with dignified, supportive housing, without barriers such as pets, partners, or active addictions, so they are no longer living on the streets or in shelters. People experiencing long-term homelessness have a myriad of vulnerabilities. Once housed, individuals can connect with health care providers and case managers, engage in support groups, establish routines, and build relationships with friends and family, and move on to more independent living, decreasing their need for services over time. Clients are screened to determine those with the highest level of need. These are the clients that are housed first. All clients have access to support services through OPCS, as well as with agencies in the broader community. Last fiscal year we oversaw close to 600 scattered-site units in our Supportive Housing Program.Bread & Roses - Affirming Transitional Shelter: Bread and Roses is the first crisis transitional shelter in Pima County for homeless LBGTQ+ youth. Homeless youth that identify as LGBTQ+ frequently have difficulty finding shelters where they feel protected and respected. Bread and Roses offers a safe, inclusive, and affirming space for LBGTQ+ youth, ages 18 to 24. The program aims to provide these youth the support needed at every step, so they can permanently leave the streets, secure stable housing, and build self-sufficient, fulfilling lives. In 2023, the program served approximately 22 youth, 12 of which successfully exited to permanent housing.Homeless Work Program: The Tucson Homeless Work Program was launched in December 2016. The goal of this program is to employ persons who are chronically homeless and connect them with housing, health services, job training, and permanent employment. This includes daily casual labor employment of homeless individuals residing in shelter and unsheltered, with daily cash payment for the work. To date, over 2,000 people have participated in the program, with more than 35% entering and gaining permanent housing and more than 35% entering employment services. Most notably, over 900,000 pounds of trash and waste cleared, with more than 500 sites and 600 miles of roadway cleaned. The Tucson Homeless Work Program is a partnership between OPCS, other nonprofits, government agencies, and the homeless community.OPCS Home Fund: While some OPCS government funded programs cover all or part of a client's housing fees, some clients do not meet the specific criteria to be eligible for these programs. The OPCS Home Fund helps pay for their occupancy cost until they gain income through employment, Social Security, or other sources. The fund pays for rental application fees and deposits for clients moving into Section 8 housing. It also covers specific, emergent needs to remove barriers to housing and employment. In addition, the fund helps meet the basic needs of families with children entering our programs. Last year, the fund assisted close to 300 households. The Home Fund is made possible by community grants and individual donations via the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit.Pima County Housing First Program (PCHF): OPCS launched this program in 2019 in partnership with Pima County with the goal of reducing recidivism and homelessness among the justice-involved population. The program provides "bridge housing and permanent supportive housing to homeless individuals who have had several encounters with the criminal justice system. Individuals also receive appropriate social services support including substance abuse treatment, mental health services, and employment coaching. Participants are referred to the program by the Pima County Jail, Public Defenders Office, and Adult Probation. To date, we have assisted over 500 people and successfully housed 250+ households. In addition, several participants have exited the program once they achieved income/employment stability. Without housing this would not have been possible.
Veteran Recovery Communities Program: OPCS works with veterans who have served in the United States Armed Services including those with PTSD, substance abuse, mental illness, a criminal justice history, and those returning to the community after hospitalization, treatment, and/or combat. The program's goal is to end chronic homelessness among our veteran population. We provide them with assistance while they move from street homelessness to permanent supportive housing. This includes housing, clinical treatments, necessity items, and other support services. In 2023, we served approximately 300 veterans at our five veteran communities. We operate this program in partnership with the Veterans Administration, the City of Tucson and other community partners. The program is funded entirely by government grants and contracts.