East SBV Times

On August 9, 2024, from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Community Service & Reentry Division's Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) conducted "Operation Shelter Me" in the isolated unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County's High Desert. The operation aimed to connect with unhoused residents and offer housing, medical, and mental health treatment services.

The H.O.P.E. team utilized specialized vehicles to reach individuals miles away from the nearest communities without access to services. The focus was on those with significant mental illness, aiming to link them to restorative mental health pathways.

During the operation, the team located 32 individuals experiencing homelessness. Twenty individuals received referrals for assistance programs, ten were connected with follow-up professional services, and six—comprising two families and a veteran—were linked to housing. One family also received help with family reunification.

In June 2023, San Bernardino County opted into Laura’s Law, also known as Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT). This law provides court-ordered community treatment for individuals with histories of hospitalization or incarceration and violence towards themselves or others. During this operation, no subjects appeared to be candidates for AOT.

The H.O.P.E. Team will continue similar operations throughout the county over the next year thanks to "Community Concerns" funding approved by the County Board of Supervisors. This funding allows the Sheriff's Department to address issues like homelessness and mental illness.

For assistance regarding persons experiencing homelessness needing services, contact the H.O.P.E. Team at 909-387-0623 or [email protected].

Refer: H.O.P.E. Team

Station: Community Service & Reentry Division

Phone No.: (909) 387-0623

Shannon Dicus

Sheriff-Coroner

San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department