TULARE COUNTY – Homelessness faces a lot of different fronts. Some of the homeless cannot afford a home, some are struggling with addiction and other simply choose to participate in the lifestyle. But when it comes to the public there is a need to make sure the homeless are well taken care of. It is not unprecedented for outbreaks of illness to occur among homeless communities, and potentially affect those who work or live nearby.
The Tulare County grand jury, focusing on agency efforts, issued their findings and conclusion on homelessness services in Tulare County two week ago. Overall they concluded, “The health and sanitation of the homeless could benefit from improved communication, cooperation, and coordination within the various support agencies.
“Transportation, health care, access to facilities, housing services, and assistance with applications for documentation and financial support could help lift people out of homelessness.”
One of their four findings noted that access to services is often complicated or unobtainable due to a lack of necessary identification or documentation. The finding was similar to the grand jury’s first finding, that housing assistance required documentation, such as tax returns for income verification. The problem that comes up is when homeless do not have the required paperwork to verify their taxes or income.
Tulare County District 3 Board Supervisor, Amy Shuklian sits on the Homeless Task Force says there are efforts to streamline some of the processes that connect the homeless to services like making Project Homeless Connect (PHC) more robust.
PHC offers those experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness a broad range of needed services and basic necessities at one-day, one-stop events. Homeless community members can receive haircuts, hot meals, clothing, health and dental care, mental health care, legal services, veterans’ and social service benefits, and much more—at no cost.
Typically offered in January, Shuklian says there have been talks to offering mini PHC services at certain points throughout the year. She said people can get identification cards and be linked to the services the grand jury concludes homeless need to be lifted out of homelessness.
Another finding made by the grand jury was a lack of accessibility of transportation passes to the homeless community. Shuklian says transportation has come up with the Homeless Task Force but only so far as it relates to their housing and potentially their jobs. She said when they consider housing they also consider proximity to their work because they do not want to place someone too far and make them a commuter. Their potential for success is much higher if they live near where they work.
While the Homeless Task Force is already trying to find ways to reduce and accommodate the county’s homeless population the grand jury published some of their own recommendations.
In all they recommended various agencies helping homeless in the county increase their direct outreach, reduce barriers for homeless obtaining housing, find possible funding sources for portable shower services and investigate transportation accessibility to services and resources.
Health and Human Services (HHS) is making their effort to help as well. Recently they have flown the position of Homeless Initiatives Program Coordinator. HHS is anticipating on hiring the position in the next few weeks according to their public information officer Tammie Wyker-Adkins.
The coordinator's job will be to coordinate, implement, and organize countywide and agency-wide homeless initiatives. Provides coordination and oversight of services for residents within Tulare County dealing with homelessness and manages County homeless programs by evaluating and monitoring their compliance with established policies and grant requirements.
June 27, 2018
The Sun-Gazette
By Paul Myers
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