LifeLink tells Santa Fe committee outreach reaches hundreds but warns ARPA funds and housing shortages threaten services

Janelle Bohannon, director of outreach services at LifeLink, told the Santa Fe Quality of Life Committee on May (presentation date not specified) that the nonprofit’s street outreach and micro-community programs have expanded rapidly but now face looming funding and housing constraints.

“Homelessness is not a housing problem for the population we serve. It is deeply intertwined with untreated mental illness, substance use disorders, and trauma,” Bohannon said, describing LifeLink as “one of Santa Fe’s primary safety net providers.” She added that LifeLink went “fully staffed and operable in January 2025” and has served 1,028 unique clients since then.

The presentation, introduced by Kristen Woods, program manager in the city’s Youth and Family Services division, covered LifeLink’s outreach teams, navigation services (city and county navigators), PATH-modeled outreach funded by SAMHSA, a transitional housing program (RISE), and the Arroyo Chamizo micro community. Bohannon said the Arroyo Chamizo site is low-barrier, houses about 10 people at a time, and has housed 18 individuals during the program cycle; 53 people have used the micro community to date but 25 left early before engaging in services.

Bohannon outlined practical barriers that slow transitions to permanent housing: long wait lists for vouchers and shelters; clients who change contact information or enter incarceration; and time-intensive Medicaid eligibility and billing requirements. “To qualify for Medicaid funding… first they have to complete a 19‑page intake packet” and then meet documentation and treatment-plan requirements that can hinder reimbursement, she said.

Committee members pressed LifeLink on definitions, capacity and retention. “We desperately, desperately, desperately need more beds,” Councilor Cassette said, stressing the need for quick‑access, low‑barrier shelters even as outreach continues. Bohannon responded that meaningful engagement often requires months: “It’ll take 6 to 12 months of engagement from a street outreach team before anyone even decides to get into services.”

On resources, Bohannon asked the city to consider continued operating funding (LifeLink said the majority of its current funding comes from the city), a comprehensive data collection system to replace spreadsheets, flexible client funds for immediate needs (hygiene supplies, food, transportation), and additional training for outreach staff (first aid, CPR paired with Narcan training). She also noted LifeLink is preparing an amendment to its ARPA contract; the contract “expires in June, but their funds are good through December,” she said, adding there is no clear funding avenue beyond those ARPA dollars.

Committee members and staff discussed ways the city could support training, convene providers for shared best practices and integrate the Alternative Response Unit (ARU) into a coordinated outreach continuum. City staff said provider convenings happen monthly and that the city is planning a homelessness summit on June 29 to bring providers and the public together.

Bohannon and city staff emphasized that program design changes after pilot phases reduced early attrition at micro communities: stricter intake rules, clearer abandonment policies (for absences longer than 72 hours) and expedited intake procedures implemented by a site coordinator reduced early exits.

The presentation closed with community‑level details LifeLink provided to the committee: an estimated 300–400 unhoused individuals in Santa Fe (LifeLink’s field estimate), an estimated 150 lunches distributed weekly through donors and partnerships, and an agency report that only about 10–20 state linkages vouchers remain available to assist clients into housing.

The committee did not take formal action on LifeLink’s requests during the meeting; members said they will continue to explore budget and program options ahead of upcoming budget work.