Bonita House, Inc. Awards

1971 Opened first 15-bed licensed residential treatment facility in Alameda County for Adults who have severe and persistent psychiatric disabilities. Conventional funding was used to purchase house.

1975-78 Opened the Junkman's Palace Café, Alameda County's first vocational program exclusively for adults with mental disabilities. At the Café, program clients received valuable work experience and market rate pay through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). Throughout its years of operation, the Junkman's Palace served as a model for other restaurant training programs throughout California. Lacking ongoing funding to pay for trainers and operational expenses, the program closed in 1978.

1976 Began leasing houses and apartments for clients to use as shared supported housing, this effort began our Supported Independent Living Program.

1979 Was one of six California non-profit organizations to first use the HUD 202/8 program to build housing on behalf of adults with severe mental disabilities.

1981-89 Owned and operated a 7-bed licensed residential treatment facility for adults with persistent mental illness in Ukiah, California (Mendocino County). Conventional financing was used to purchase the facility.

1981-85 State of California, Housing and Community Development Department Independent Living Housing Assistance Program for adults who are persistently mentally ill.

1982-83 State of California, Housing and Community Development Department Home Management Training Program for adults who are persistently mentally ill.

1982 City of Berkeley Community Development Block Grant award for acquisition and rehabilitation of seven-bedroom house for persistently mentally ill.

1985 HUD Rental Rehabilitation Loan Program to rehabilitate an agency owned house used as supported housing.

1990 Secured a tax exempt low interest California Health Care Facility Bond to rehabilitate existing facilities and construct new multi-service building.

1991 Redesigned all of our programs to work exclusively with adults who are persistently mentally ill and have a concurrent history of substance abuse.

1993 One of 16 organizations in the country to receive funds from the U.S. Public Health Service to produce a dual diagnosis manual for national distribution.

1995 Berkeley Creative Living Center merged with, and became a program of Bonita House, Inc.