Operation Shelter Me Conducted in Fontana Area Providing Referrals to Unhoused for Assistance Programs and Services 

August 26, 2025 – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials report that the Community Service & Reentry Division's Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) in collaboration with the Department of Aging and Adult Services, conducted "Operation Shelter Me" in the County area of Fontana and surrounding communities. This operation aimed to connect staff with unhoused residents, offering them housing, medical, and mental health treatment services. During this operation, the H.O.P.E. Team focused on individuals with significant mental illnesses to link them with restorative mental health pathways.

Operation:

• 46 individuals currently experiencing homelessness were contacted by the H.O.P.E. team.

• 29 individuals accepted referral information to assistance programs.

• 7 individuals were connected with local service providers.

In June 2023, San Bernardino County opted into Laura's Law, also known as Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT). Laura's Law provides opportunities for court-ordered community treatment pathways for individuals with histories of hospitalization, incarceration, or violence. Under Senate Bill 43, which San Bernardino County adopted in April 2025, the H.O.P.E. Team members evaluated individuals who might benefit from substance abuse and mental health treatment if they were determined to be gravely disabled. The H.O.P.E. Team did not identify any candidates for assisted outpatient or substance abuse treatment during this operation.

The H.O.P.E. Team and other aligned resources will continue similar operations throughout the County over the next year, thanks to special "Community Concerns" funding, approved by the County Board of Supervisors. This funding allows the Sheriff's Department to address topics of concern, such as homelessness and mental illness, for county residents. If you know of individuals experiencing homelessness who need services, please contact the H.O.P.E. Team at (909) 387-0623 or hope@sbcsd.org.

DATE/TIME: August 22, 2025,  6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

INCIDENT: Outreach Operation

LOCATION: The County Area of Fontana and Surrounding Communities

Refer: The H.O.P.E. Team

Station: Community Service & Reentry Division

Phone No. (909) 387-0623

Source & photo: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department