The Washoe County Crossroads Program, which helps the mentally ill, homeless and substance abusers, won Best of Category for Human Services at the 2016 National Association of Counties (NACo) annual conference that was held on Sunday in Long Beach, California. One of several nominees for the national achievement award, Washoe County was the only one to win Best of Category based on “exceptional results and unique innovations.”
Crossroads is a benchmark housing program that assists local men and women in making a successful transition from substance abuse and homelessness to a productive and fulfilling lifestyle. KTVN Zac Mooney had shared a story about Andrew Solano from Fallon who had gone through this program. See the story here.
Since Crossroads’ inception in 2011, the program has grown from six clients to more than 130. Crossroads saves the community more than $15 million a year in jail bookings, encounters with first responders, emergency room/hospital costs, ongoing jail costs and treatment expenses. Crossroads is a partnership between Washoe County Social Services, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada.
“I want to thank our partners for working together to make Crossroads a successful model from which many across the country will now be duplicating,” Assistant County Manager Kevin Schiller said. “Crossroads has proved to be the missing link when it comes to ensuring the success of serial inebriate clients.”
NACo comprises America’s 3,069 county governments. Founded in 1935, NACo brings county officials together to advocate with a collective voice on national policy, exchange ideas and build new leadership skills, pursue transformational county solutions, enrich the public’s understanding of county government, and exercise exemplary leadership in public service.
“Thank you to NACo for recognizing Crossroads for being a successful program," said Washoe County Commissioner Bob Lucey (Dist. 2). "It’s not just our incredible partners and Washoe County staff that made Crossroads possible, but the clients as well who have worked so hard to become productive members of society.”
(Washoe County contributed to this story)
