Street Outreach Project
Originally published March 8th, 2022
In November 2021 SHO implemented its’ Street Outreach Project funded by Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services and Humboldt County Planning and Building Department.
SHO hired and trained one full time Case Manager and two part time Street Outreach Workers. On a daily basis the outreach staff deliver emergency supplies to unsheltered homeless folks in and around Redway and Garberville. Homeless folks are engaged in services including case planning and referrals to community providers such as Redwood Rural Health Center, SoHum Health, Social Services, etc.
In just three month from November 1st thru January 31st the Outreach Team has provided services to 172 unduplicated clients and has made 2,200 client contacts. The Outreach Staff provided unhoused clients with:
142 COVID Safety Training
3,056 COVID masks/sanitizers
1,200 Weekly Lunches
4,013 Daily food/water supplies
127 Clothing and supplies at monthly showering event
312 Camping Supplies (sleeping bags, tents, tarps)
325 Warm clothing, socks, hand warmers
83 Safety supplies (flashlights/whistles)
79 Transports to medical/mental/addiction/social services appointments
91 Bus Passes
Case Management and Supportive Services.
The SHO Outreach Team works together to provide case management and supportive services to their clients. The team provided:
600+ hours of Case Management services include intake assessment, case planning with goals and objectives, weekly progress meetings, and referrals to services. Supportive case management services include transportation to appointments,
Assistance with over 200 applications (MediCal, General Assistance, CalFresh, Housing-HUD/Mainstream, government issued cell phones, SSI/SSDI, EDD Unemployment Insurance, job applications, college applications, etc.),
353 Referrals (clinics/hospitals, mental and behavioral health clinics, social services, food bank, emergency shelter, legal services, domestic violence services, etc.), and emotional support and counseling. The team also does due diligence to locate family and/or friends and provides resolution services to get folks back home with their families and/or close friends.
To date the project has returned over ten people home from out of the area and permanently housed two people, and sent ten to longer term shelters with supportive services.
Cathy Miller, SHO President 2019-2022
September 2023 update on Outreach Program
After SHO Outreach Program Director , Carla Harris passed unexpectedly at the beginning of 2022 SHO asked the Redwoods Rural Health Center team if they would continue the outreach program. Always looking for ways to better serve our community they agreed to step in. Their work has been amazing. A brief account of their work since September 2022 to present has been over 400 clients in casework management of homeless clients. Close to 60 local homeless have been placed in housing. Oversight of transferring clients to emergency shelter during our extreme weather this year (750 bed nights). RRHC recently opened a community services office to help folks that need support from varied programs. RRHC has also began a street medicine program. A big thank-you for all their dedication on helping our community in so many ways.
Patte Rae, SHO President