The Community Service & Reentry Division's Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) embarked on "Operation Shelter Me" last Friday, an outreach operation undertaken to bridge the gap between unhoused individuals and essential services. According to an official announcement yesterday from the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department, the initiative took place from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., aiming to provide housing, medical, and mental health treatment services to those in need. Operation Shelter Me was particularly attentive to those with significant mental illnesses, striving to provide access to restorative mental health care.
The H.O.P.E. Team located 18 individuals experiencing homelessness, with 14 of these people receiving referral information to various assistance programs, and four being linked with follow-up professional services, in a statement obtained by the Sheriff's Department release. During the outreach, the team did not identify any individuals as candidates for Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) under Laura's Law, which San Bernardino County had opted into back in June 2023, providing court-ordered treatment pathways for those with specific histories of hospitalization, incarceration, or violence.
Community Concerns funding, a concerted financial effort approved by the County Board of Supervisors, endorses the continued operation of the H.O.P.E. Team, ensuring such outreach initiatives are sustained over the following year. This investment denotes the county's devoted approach to mitigating issues like homelessness and mental illness, which present pressing challenges to many residents.
Those aware of individuals experiencing homelessness in need of services are encouraged to reach out to the H.O.P.E. Team, and the sheriff's department offered contact information [email protected] and a direct line at (909) 387-0623.
