Sheriff's H.O.P.E. Team Continues its Efforts to Provide Services to Unhoused Residents
January 20, 2024 - San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials report that on Friday, January 19, 2024, 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 San Bernardino and surrounding unincorporated areas.
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.
The H.O.P.E. Team located 100 individuals experiencing homelessness. The team provided 72 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.
Deputies located and document three individuals experiencing severe mental illness who appeared to be candidates for assisted outpatient treatment. At the conclusion of investigations, individuals determined to meet AOT criteria will be referred to county Behavioral Health resources for assistance and possible placement into treatment pathways.
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 of this type throughout the county over the next several years.
If you know of persons experiencing homelessness who need services, please contact the H.O.P.E. Team at 909-387-0623 or hope@sbcsd.org.
DATE/TIME: January 19. 2024/6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
INCIDENT: Operation Shelter Me
LOCATION: City of San Bernardino and surrounding unincorporated areas
Source: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department