The Homeless Intervention Program

1. The Homeless Intervention Program

2. Who is the CTU? • The Community Transition Unit (CTU), has been focused on helping incarcerated people break the cycle of homelessness and recidivism for many years. • The CTU is comprised of a unit commander, four sergeants and 18 custody assistants who service the six jail facilities. Staff is funded by the Inmate Welfare fund.

3. Why ? • Putting homeless people in jail, most of whom suffer from mental illness or drug addiction, is time consuming, expensive, takes jail beds that should be reserved for violent criminals, and provides little benefit to society. Research proves that, if done right, social services can reduce recidivism.

4. Goals and Objectives of HIP • To create a consistent way of working with homeless people at all patrol stations. • To conduct outreach to homeless persons to divert them into services and away from jail.

5. Definition of Homeless • Homeless person or situation defined: • A person who lacks a regular, fixed and adequate nighttime residence (substandard housing) • Lives in a shelter, hotel, or motel • Lives in a public place not designed for sleeping (cars, parks etc.) • Is an unaccompanied youth or dependant adult.

6. The Role of the CTU • HIP encourages field personnel to use the Community Transition Unit as a resource body for homeless encounters. • The Community Transition Unit will act as a liaison between service providers and field personnel in the implementation of proactive homeless intervention techniques.

7. Homeless Intervention Techniques • Regular meetings wherein identified stakeholders discuss the homeless issues in the patrol area. • Collaboration with stakeholders and law enforcement to identify concerns and seek solutions. • Regular coordinated outreach efforts to persons in homeless situations. • Building of a collaborative response to homeless situations.

8. Stakeholders • Community leaders • Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority • Department of Public Works • Department of Mental Health • Social service providers • Faith based organizations • Veterans Administration • Law enforcement professionals

9. LASHA • The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is a resource to all department members in the fight to end homelessness in Los Angeles County. • LASHA has routine and immediate homeless response teams, • Routine response teams will go to any location where homeless persons reside and link them to social services, • LASHA will respond to immediate requests from our field units for families in homeless situations. • LAHSA can assist you in: • Developing a plan to address homelessness in your community, • Creating partnerships with community and faith based organizations, • Identifying additional alternatives to incarceration.

10. Information Sharing • Contacts section of Microsoft Outlook • Informative posters • Pocket sized cards for field personnel • Hand outs for first responders • CTU staff being readily available to assist with partnership development and proactive homeless intervention activities

11. Tutorial • Log into “Microsoft Outlook” • Click “Public Folders” • Click “All Public Folders” • Click “Contacts” • Click “Homeless Services” • Click on your station … • The first resource will always be the LASHA, • The next three resources are readily available transitional housing resources, • The remainder of the listed resources are for pre-planning activities and partnership building.

12. How do You get started? Be proactive not reactive, • Use the CTU as a resource body in your Homeless Intervention Program design, • Bring all identified stakeholders together, • Discuss the condition of homelessness in your community, • Develop an action plan of how to address the concerns, • Remember the CTU is here to help with this plan and its execution.

13. Get HIP! Homelessness is not a crime… Call the Community Transition Unit at 213-473-6590 toll free 888-CTU-9909 Or email us at commtransunit@lasd.org