East SBV Times

The Community Service & Reentry Division's Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) conducted "Operation Shelter Me" on Friday, September 20, 2024. The operation took place from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Morongo Basin communities, aiming to connect unhoused residents with housing, medical, and mental health treatment services.

The team focused particularly on individuals with significant mental illnesses, seeking to link them to restorative mental health pathways. During the operation, the H.O.P.E. Team located 54 individuals experiencing homelessness. Out of these, 33 were referred to assistance programs, and ten were connected with follow-up professional services. Additionally, two families experiencing homelessness were contacted and all four individuals were linked to housing.

San Bernardino County opted into Laura’s Law in June 2023. Also known as Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), Laura’s Law provides court-ordered community treatment for individuals with histories of hospitalization or incarceration and histories of violence toward themselves or others. No candidates for assisted outpatient treatment were identified during this operation.

The H.O.P.E. Team plans to continue similar operations throughout the county over the next year using "Community Concerns" funding approved by the County Board of Supervisors. This funding allows the Sheriff's Department to allocate resources towards addressing issues such as homelessness and mental illness.

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

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

Station: Community Service & Reentry Division

Phone No.: (909) 387-0623

SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner

San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department