Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless

THE SONOMA COUNTY TASK FORCE FOR THE HOMELESS CLOSED ITS DOORS ON JUNE 30 2017. DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS WE HAD 3 GRANT-FUNDED PROGRAMS IN PLAY. THEY INCLUDED WINTER WARMTH, SOBER SONOMA AND SONOMA COUNTYS HOMELESS COURT. AT THE TIME OF THE AGENCYS CLOSING ALL THREE PROGRAMS WERE TRANSFERRERD TO OTHER AGENCIES.WINTER WARMTH: AS OF THIS WRITING WEVE DISTRIBUTED 7,127 ITEMS IN ITS LAST SEASON. INCLUDED WERE MORE THAN 175 SLEEPING BAGS, AN ALL TIME HIGH. HATS OFF TO FLEET FEET SANTA ROSA WHO DONATED 245 PAIRS OF SHOES!! PROGRAMS SERVED INCLUDE BUCKELEW, RUSSIAN RIVER EMPOWERMENT CENTER, WEST COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES WINTER SHELTER, INTERLINK SELF-HELP CENTER, GOODWILLS WELLNESS & ADVOCACY CENTER, ST. VINCENT DE PAULS DINING ROOM, HOMELESS WITH PETS, SONOMA COUNTY PROBATION DEPT., 7TH DAY ADVENTISTS COMMUNITY SERVICES, COMFORT OF HOPE, BROOKWOOD HEALTH CENTER, MIGRANT EDUCATION, SOBER SONOMA, SONOMA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DEPT., ST. ANDREWS MISSION, CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION, CENTERPOINT DAAC, SANTA ROSA TREATMENT PROGRAM, NORTH SONOMA COUNTY SERVICES, SANTA ROSA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND THE LIVING ROOM. WINTER WAMRTH WAS TRANSFERRED TO HOMELESS WITH PETS IN OCTOBER 2017. SOBER SONOMA: ON JANUARY 9TH THE HEALTH CARE FOR THE HOMELESS COLLABORATIVE (HCHC), CONVENED BY THE TASK FORCE, LAUNCHED SOBER SONOMA AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LONG-TERM ADDICTS TO STABILIZE THEIR LIVES. MIKE NEAL, OUR SOBER SONOMA OUTREACH WORKER, CONNECTED WITH CHRONICALLY INTOXICATED PEOPLE ON THE STREET OR BY REFERRAL FROM ERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, HOST AND OTHER OUTREACH PROGRAMS. SOBER SONOMA BROUGHT TOGETHER LAW ENFORCEMENT, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH, AMBULANCE, HOSPITAL, CLINIC, AND HOMELESS SERVICES. IT SERVED HEAVY USERS OF ERS, AMBULANCE AND POLICE SERVICES WHO RATE HIGH ON THE VULNERABILITY INDEX, WHICH ALSO GAVE THEM PRIORITY FOR SHELTER AND HOUSING. SIX HIGH UTILIZERS WERE ENROLLED THE PROGRAMS CURRENT CAPACITY. THE PARTNERSHIP HEALTH PLANS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH INITIATIVE GRANT FUNDED THIS PROGRAM. ST. JOSEPH HEALTH SONOMA COUNTY FUNDED AN EXTENSIVE EVALUATION PROCESS. THE SOBER SONOMA PROGRAM WAS ULTIMATELY TRANSFERRED TO SONOMA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIVISION.SONOMA COUNTY HOMELESS COURT: THE TASK FORCE FOR THE HOMELESS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SONOMA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, VOLUNTEER CENTER, PROBATION DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC DEFENDER, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, LEGAL AID IN SONOMA AND MARIN COUNTIES, NUMEROUS AGENCIES SERVING HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND HOMELESS PEOPLE THEMSELVES, INITIATED A NEW SONOMA COUNTY HOMELESS COURT IN 2016. THE TASK FORCE RECEIVED A GRANT FOR THIS PROJECT FROM SONOMA WINE COUNTRY WEEKEND ADMINISTERED BY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SONOMA COUNTY WHICH ENDED IN MARCH 2017. THE HOMEESS COURT IS STILL ACTIVE AND COORDINATED BY THE VOLUNTEER CENTER AND THE SONOMA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS.