November 12, 2023 - San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials report that on Friday, November 10, 2023, from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Community Service & Reentry Division, Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) conducted "Operation Shelter Me" in the City of Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, and the surrounding unincorporated communities.
Operation Shelter Me aims to connect staff with unhoused residents and offer them housing, medical and mental health treatment services. During this operation, the team focused on those with the most significant mental illness to get those individuals linked to restorative mental health pathways.
During the operation, the team located 15 individuals experiencing homelessness. The team provided 9 individuals with referrals to programs for assistance and seven individuals were linked with follow-up professional services.
While service capacity is limited, the teams will continue to work with this population to get them into services as they become available.
In June of 2023, San Bernardino County opted into Laura’s Law, also called Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT). Laura’s Law provides opportunities for court-ordered community treatment pathways for individuals with histories of hospitalization or incarceration, and histories of violence to themselves or others. During this operation, deputies initiated one Laura’s Law investigation. Staff will provide all available information on this individual to the Department of Behavioral Health so follow-up mental health engagement and services can be provided.
The team provided this focused outreach due to Senate Bill 170, which provided funding to the Department to support ongoing operations of this nature. The H.O.P.E. Team and other aligned resources will continue operations .
If you know of persons experiencing homelessness who need services, please get in touch with the H.O.P.E. Team at 909-387-0623 or hope@sbcsd.org.
DATE/TIME: November 10, 2023 / 6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
INCIDENT: Operation Shelter Me
LOCATION: Morongo Basin and Surrounding Communities
SUSPECT(S): N/A
VICTIM(S): N/A
Source & photos: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
