Addressing homelessness is a key component of my agenda. The homelessness in California exceeds that of the other 49 states combined. We need to find sustainable solutions to ensure we address this. I have treated every homeless person with respect. There was a time when I got a call from Felton about a homeless person who was lost and struggling. I contacted my local sheriff team, and they were able to team up with sheriff and police units to find and successfully assist the person.

As an immigrant who came into this country with just a few hundred dollars and an American dream, I believe that I have to give back to this country, a country that embraced me and provided me unbound opportunities. There is a reason why my campaign started in the poorest part of San Jose. There are folks in Silicon Valley who have been left behind, don’t have a voice, and income inequality has widened every year. The artists, the musicians and the gig economy workers are feeling the pressure; many have been pushed out due to rising home prices. I have a plan to address this issue with the Mega Silicon Valley plan. Visit RishiKumar.com/traffic

I have also hosted the no-charge Lego Robotics Bootcamp for many years to teach robotic design and programming. As a member of the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Panel, a California Department of Education initiative, we rolled out a K-12 Computer Science curriculum for every K-12 Public School student in California, to go-live in 2022. If we can begin to provide opportunities to all youth, regardless of their family's income level, we can begin to level the playing field in disadvantaged areas of Silicon Valley.

Here is our approach to reduce homelessness. The most important criteria for any social program is to strengthen people’s ability to take responsibility for themselves. Employment must be at the center of any strategy to reduce poverty and increase economic mobility. We can break the cycle of poverty and dependence one family at a time.

• Therapy: Mental illness, alcohol and other drugs, domestic violence, individual, group and family counseling, case management
• Classes: Budgeting, parenting, healthy relationships, breaking habits, positive thinking, role modeling, high school, exercise, and meditation
• Hands on Employment Training: Career placement
• Preschool programs/school readiness: Developmental screenings and early intervention services, literacy programs and phys-ed.
• Productive and Sustained Support: Tap into peoples’ and organizations’ established skills to provide the kind of long-term support that shelters and unhoused people need.

One of the primary ways we can solve this drug and addiction crisis is by strengthening people’s ability to recover and applying a data-driven focused strategy. Employment opportunities and education for addicts are instrumental if we hope to deal with this issue. My detailed solutions include therapy, classes, and aiding career development.

Providing therapy for drug addicts is a way that we can help those struggling mental health issues to take a step away from controlled substances. Education from the beginning is an important step. Although drug education provides small reductions in drug use, every single reduction is important. Rather than viewing from a criminal justice lens, the current state of affairs dictates a need for a public health lens. The drug crisis was declared a public health emergency nearly 5 years ago, but no sweeping action has been taken since. Providing mandatory drug prevention education in public schools needs to be implemented if we hope to curb the usage of drugs. Finally, providing career-based technical education is important to helping ‌ rehabilitate addicts. Addiction is correlated with a low level of education, likely preventing access to career opportunities. As an immigrant who came to this country with just a few hundred dollars and an American dream, I know the value of hard work. Providing people with the opportunity to escape their downward spiral is the only ethical solution to this issue.

Innovative approaches have been implemented in many countries around the world and with great benefit. It's time for the United States to take serious action on this issue and work to curb the rampant drug use.

I will make use of this platform. After my first 2 years, I intend to tell you a positive story of how we have impacted the homelessness challenge of California and Silicon Valley.

Allocating funds for mental illness

Allocating funds to address mental illness effectively requires a comprehensive approach. Here’s a general outline: