Letter to SAMHSA

April 30, 2008

PATH Program
P.O. Box 42557
Washington, DC 20015

To Whom It May Concern:

Hello, my name is Erin. I am a student in my Junior Year at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Recently, I completed a research project on mental illness and its effects on society. I came across your website when I was looking into the connection between mental illness and homelessness.

Numerous statistics and studies have shown that a substantial percentage of homeless people are suffering from a mental illness and/or a substance abuse disorder. Although these people are often those most in need of mental health care, they are frequently the least likely to receive it.

I am highly impressed with the PATH Program your organization runs. It is remarkable how many grants SAMHSA has distributed to participating organizations across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. territories, and how many lives you have improved through these grants.

I would like to thank you all the efforts you have put in to caring for homeless people with mental illness and substance use disorders. By providing the care that they are in desperate need of, and that they otherwise would not be able to receive, the PATH program is giving these people a true gift: hope. PATH is giving these people an opportunity for a happy, healthy, productive life, which is something that otherwise may have seemed too far out of reach.

I hope that you continue to receive funding and support to help individuals dealing with mental illness and homelessness. I am interested in learning more about your organization and how I can contribute.

Sincerely,
Erin Mahoney