Homeless and Behavioral Health Services:Improving Services to Our Community April 4, 2023
Homeless Services Updates January 1, 2023 through February 28, 2023 Homeless and Behavioral Health Services
Unduplicated contacts:
January = 202
February = 243
93 Huntington Beach Navigation Center referrals
46 referrals to other shelters
1 individual placed into permanent housing
Social Services Supervisor will be filled in the near future Updated fliers regarding contacting Social Workers and how to obtain assistance have been distributed The initial group of 12 volunteers has completed training Police Department
On March 7, 2023, the City Council approved ordinances pertaining to activities in Public Parks and the Main Street Promenade Parking Structure. While not effective until April 6, 2023, officers began educating the community about the changes, which has generally resulted in voluntary compliance Police HTF has handled 82 MyHB complaints related to homelessness
11.4% of all calls for service involved individuals experiencing homelessness Homeless Task Force teams are authorized one additional overtime shift per 2-week pay period, funded through the Police Department’s existing budget
BeWell Mobile Crisis Response Team Program
City staff recently approved three BeWell applicants for hiring Once new staff is trained, we will be at full staffing with 7 day per week coverage, from 6:00 am – 3:00 am On 3/21/22, the City Council accepted $1.5 million from State of California, sponsored by Assemblywomen Cottie Petire-Norris, to fund services Huntington Beach Oasis – County of Orange Project Home Key Initiative All rooms are currently occupied
Next phase of project will be the conversion to permanent housing Huntington Beach Navigation Center
Average occupancy for the month of February was 86%
New Site Manager installed
Public Works is addressing maintenance issues
City Homeless and Behavioral Health staff are having weekly meetings to review client files, with an emphasis on those in the program in excess of 180 days 10 clients found housing
Several clients have housing vouchers and are looking for housing Homeless Services Updates January 1, 2023 through February 28, 2023
90-day plan to address the impact of homelessness in our community
AUDIT OUR PROGRAMS
Review compliance with existing services contracts and identify areas for expansion or reduction Identify additional areas where additional support is needed, which can be provided by faith-based, governmental and non-governmental organizations Explore the feasibility of utilizing an outside consultant to evaluate our programs and provide recommendations Studies consistently show significant numbers of individuals experiencing homelessness suffer from mental health conditions Our approach must take into account psychological barriers that prevent individuals from accepting or taking advantage of services Is there a better way to package our services to make a greater impact? Identify a Case Management System to assist in data collection Accurate, consistent and usable data is crucial to establish metrics and goals At least three different systems have been utilized to track data, only one of which was a commercial application used for a trial basis Current system involves time-consuming processes to get limited information 2022 Point in Time Count – Self Reported Infographic
IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY
Fund overtime for Police HTF Officers to engage local business owners and community members Most issues occurring on private property require action from the property owners or a responsible person Most crimes are misdemeanor offenses which require a “victim” Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) can be an effective tool This overtime will allow officers to focus on their traditional duties during regular shifts Update City’s Homeless Solutions website
Provide lists of available community resources
Provide accountability of funding for programs
Provide accurate information for those wanting assistance
FOCUSED OUTREACH AND ENHANCED CASE MANAGEMENT
Fund Social Workers overtime for the engagement of individuals experiencing homelessness or at-risk of becoming homeless Current staffing only permits 5 day per week coverage, during regular business hours Two days of office hours, plus meetings and administrative tasks limits their availability for work in the field Participate in collaborative case conferencing
Work with City, Mercy House and BeWell staff to review clients situations, to give everyone the best chances of success
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
Fill the vacant Social Services Supervisor position, which is fully funded in the FY22-23 operating budget This position is in the process of being filled.
In addition to supervising social workers, the Social Services Supervisor will assist with collaborative efforts at the Navigation Center.
Explore reclassifying the vacant Homeless and Behavioral Health Services Director position to a manager position
Fiscal Items
Approximate One-Time Costs
HTF Officer Business Outreach Overtime
$25,000
Social Worker Overtime
$15,000
Total
$40,000
Reclassification with Fully Burdened Salaries
Existing
Director of Homeless and Behavioral Health Services
$ 269,655
Proposed
Homeless and Behavioral Health Services Manager
$ 196,116
Difference/Savings
$ (73,539)
Future goals discussed in the January 7, 2023 presentation Adding four additional officers to the Police Department’s Homeless Task Force Enforcement overtime for Downtown, City Beach and Sunset Beach areas Procure additional vehicles
Due to staffing constraints as we approach the busy summer months, including staffing of a Summer Beach Detail, the Police Department must place an emphasis on patrol staffing levels to ensure we keep our response times low, and have resources available to respond to emergencies. We will maintain our four-officer Homeless Task Force to conduct dedicated enforcement and outreach, and we intend to expand the unit when staffing levels permit.
Mobile Application
The County of San Diego announced they are developing a similar application, which we may be able to source once completed.
Identifying a Case Management System is a high priority at this time.
Amending the Huntington Beach Municipal Code to increase public safety While some items were already addressed by the City Council, we will continue to evaluate the need for additional amendments.
Questions?