Five MHAP clients, all with mental health disabilities, were tenants at an apartment complex in Sunnyvale. The complex lost its subsidy in June 2004 and rents were subsequently raised dramatically. As a result, 2 of the 5 clients became homeless. The other 3 stayed at the complex but remained on the verge of homelessness. MHAP worked with the Housing Authority to give these clients preferential access to the Shelter Plus Care program, a subsidized housing program for persons with disabilities. MHAP convinced the Housing Authority to treat the 5 clients cases as extenuating and therefore top priority. At the present time, all of 5 MHAP clients are in various stages of the application process. Without MHAP's involvement, these clients would not have gotten this preferential access. All 5 would, in all likelihood, be residing in shelters or still sleeping on the street.

Patients' Rights Unit

Edward is an adult male with both chronic paranoid schizophrenia and a developmental disability. Unfortunately, and like too many other similarly disabled individuals, he was taken into custody and held in jail. While there, a corrections officer dislocated his shoulder. After a thorough investigation, an MHAP attorney determined there was legal merit to his complaint. She concluded that the officer acted with excessive force and that the nurse on duty failed to intervene appropriately. The MHAP attorney assisted Edward in filing a government tort claim in order to preserve his right to bring legal action against the facility. Furthermore, the Director of Mental Health Services was alerted and the nurse on duty received appropriate counseling. Subsequently, a nursing supervisor was hired to help oversee the training of nursing staff on the psychiatric unit.

Poverty Prevention Unit

Lawrence is an MHAP client who has both chronic paranoid schizophrenia and a developmental disability. His Supplemental Security Income benefits were terminated because of an unfortunate incarceration. After being released, he reapplied for benefits but was denied. His claim was stalled for months because Lawrence did not realize the need to file a disability report. With the assistance of an MHAP attorney, his benefits have been reinstated, and MHAP is working to reopen a prior claim that would entitle him to a substantial retroactive payment.