Hennepin County is scrapping an innovative 13-year-old program aimed at keeping street people safe rather than merely sober.

The Street Case Management Project will close its doors at the end of the year. Rex Holzemer, who oversees the project, says county officials will reassess how they can better serve the estimated 60 clients who take part in the program annually.

Holzemer says the Street Case program was already headed toward closing sometime next year, because many other programs have sprung up to house and care for homeless and destitute alcoholics.

County Board Chairman Mike Opat recently asked for a review of the program after learning it had spent $6,000 this year on Minnesota Vikings football tickets for clients. Holzemer says the program's end is not related to Opat's criticism.

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Information from: Star Tribune, http://www.startribune.com