In order to better address your life needs outside of the campus, below are non-emergency resources. If you have any questions regarding resources, or would like more information, please feel free to contact us at (619) 660-4203 or cuyamaca.cares@gcccd.edu.
Housing Resources
Home Start, Inc.
Address: 333 E. Main St., El Cajon 92020
Phone: (619) 430-0032
Click here for website
- First access point for housing resources- Tuesday 8am-4:30pm and Thursday 8am-4:30pm.
- Prevention and Homeless Services including rental or mortgage assistance, utility assistance, and Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) referred by 2-1-1.
- Housing Our Youth (HOY)- Specialized assistance to Transitional Aged Youth (17 - 24 years of age) who are at-risk or experiencing homelessness. Housing, peer support, care coordination, service navigation, transportation, job and employment assistance, education and more.
- Youth System Navigation- Outreach and In-reach for youth 18-24 providing diversion, prevention, and other resources to obtain stability and self-sufficiency.
- Homeless Street Outreach- Outreach throughout East County to connect with resources and basic need services such as food and hygiene. Part of the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) with El Cajon Police, Lemon Grove Sheriff, and Santee Sheriff Departments.
- Host Homes- Temporary placement with community members for individuals 18-24 y/o. Availability dependent on the host.
- Coordinated Entry System, Rapid Housing, Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program.
Inclement Weather Shelters
From late December to mid-May, the East Region Interfaith Shelter Network assists with placement of individuals who are homeless into temporary Interfaith shelters. For a referral to the IInterfaith Shelter Network, individuals must call either Crisis House at (619) 444-1194, or Volunteers of America at (619) 447-2428. Families, couples and singles are eligible but must not have any active alcohol/drug or mental health issues.
San Diego Youth Services
24-Hour Crisis Services
(866) 752-2327
(619) 325-3527
INFO: The Youth Emergency Shelter, formally known as Storefront, is San Diego’s only emergency
shelter program for homeless, runaway, and “street” youth. Youth can access the shelter
with or without referral and will be assured a safe place to stay until their lives
have been stabilized with the help of professional and caring staff and volunteers.
Night Shelter
The Youth Emergency Night Shelter is a 20-bed emergency shelter--the only one in San
Diego specifically designed for homeless and runaway youth. The goal of the Youth
Emergency Shelter is to stabilize the lives of vulnerable youth.
- Staff provide initial crisis assessment and intervention including provision of food, clothing, safe shelter and medical care referral.
- Case management, drug and sexual exploitation education, and family mediation and counseling work to reunite youth with their family if it is safe and appropriate.
- Special arts programming funded by Photo Charity encourage expression through music, dance, painting and other media.
- Referral to longer-term residential programs or transitional living programs when reunification is not possible.
Day Drop-In Center
- This program provides street kids with a safe place with supervision and support between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm.
- Comprehensive Youth Emergency Shelter services are available daily and include food, clothing, showers, laundry facilities, education, recreation, independent living skills and job training, counseling, and case management.
- Computer access encourages skill development and provides access to job searches and other resources.
- The Independent Living Skills curriculum incorporates the empowering qualities of the Community Youth Development approach to preparing youth for successful independence and healthy engagement in the community.
Mental Health Resources
San Diego Mental Health Access & Crisis Hotline
(888) 724-7240 (24-hour)
The Access and Crisis Line provides suicide and crisis intervention services for children,
adults, and older adults; referrals and/or authorizations for mental health services
for the Medi-Cal and uninsured populations; and general mental health information
and referrals for the community of San Diego. If you need information for you or
a loved one about how to handle a mental health crisis, you can talk to a trained
professional to help with your specific situation. It is available anytime 24/7.
El Cajon Family Health Center
525 E Main Street
El Cajon, CA 92020
(619) 515-2300
Website: www.fhcsd.org
Our warm and caring mental health services staff provides support to the health of the whole body, including physical, emotional and mental well-being. Whether you need someone to talk to or are seeking care for emotional and psychological disorders, our trained clinicians employ behavioral therapies and evidence-based practices to get you the help you need.
Most FHCSD primary care clinics offer mental health services. We also offer stand-alone behavioral health facilities.
For in-person visits, call (619) 515-2338, or visit the website to schedule an appointment.
Now Available: Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling and Psychiatry Services. Call for
an appointment.
Hours:
Monday through Friday: 8:30 am – 5:30 pm, Closed for lunch 12:30 – 1:30 pm
McAlister Institute
1400 N. Johnson Avenue, Suite 101
El Cajon, CA 92020
Phone: (619) 442-0277
Website: www.mcalisterinc.org
McAlister Institute provides a comprehensive range of substance abuse treatment, recovery,
and supportive services. Together, McAlister Institute’s 25 programs represent a continuum
of care that spans prevention and education, outreach, intervention, outpatient treatment,
short-term and long-term residential care, aftercare, and sober living. A sliding
fee scale is utilized to ensure no one is denied services based on inability to pay.