SB County Homeless Services Designed With Needs in Mind

SAN BERNARDINO >> The Department of Behavioral Health Office of Homeless Services, in conjunction with the San Bernardino County Homeless Partnership, will coordinate the Point-In-Time Count in order to acquire an estimated number of homeless individuals and families in San Bernardino County on a given day, and to discover the specific needs. “The PITC not only provides a measurement of the rate of homelessness in San Bernardino County, it offers insight into the characteristics of people and families sleeping on the street or in places not meant for human habitation. The information gathered by community volunteers is used a road map or blueprint to design current and future services that best serve our local homeless population,” said Tom Hernandez, Office of Homeless Services Officer. Individuals and organizations are invited to volunteer to participate in the count, which will be conducted on Jan. 26 from 6 to 10 a.m. throughout San Bernardino County. Those who wish to volunteer must attend a training session being held from Jan. 5 through Jan. 20 throughout San Bernardino County. Field team volunteers who are able to engage with homeless individuals or families will ask specific questions and offer hygiene kits and information on supportive services. Homeless persons who report a verifiable veteran status are provided with additional supports from veterans housing programs, such as transportation and immediate housing in many cases. Jeanette Hill, a repeated volunteer with the count encourages others to participate by saying, “I look forward to helping each year because I feel it is important to try to reach out to the homeless population and let them know that we care. I have found that many are happy just to talk to someone who is truly interested in helping them. We cannot help them if we don’t know much about them, so the count provides a way to find out what is most needed.” For more information or to register to be a volunteer, please visit www.sbcounty.gov/dbh/sbchp or call the Office of Homeless Services at (909) 386-8297 or email mkbletcher@dbh.sbcounty.gov. The OHS works to develop countywide public and private partnerships and to coordinate services and resources to end homelessness in San Bernardino County. Through this, OHS is helping to achieve the Countywide Vision by working to create a sustainable system of community health, public safety and housing.