San Diego County Grand Jury
• 2003-2004
Should Hot Teams Be Expanded and for Whom?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
Transitional shelter 7 San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless, 2003, San Diego County’s Homeless Profile, Youth On Their Own.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
Substance abuse treatment and recovery
No recommendations for this finding
F3
Case management/information and referral
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Employment assistance
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Permanent supportive housing
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Planning/administration and coordination
No recommendations for this finding
F7
Food assistance. With all these services being offered by various agencies, it is easy to understand that accessing these or even knowing of their availability would be difficult for anyone. This must certainly be true for the chronically homeless. These people are often isolated from the community’s mainstream. According to the September 2002 Fact Sheet #3 by the National Coalition for Homeless, over 20-25% of the homeless suffer from severe mental illness. The chronically homeless population consumes a disproportionate amount of law enforcement and emergency medical treatment resources. This may be due to the reason for their homelessness not being adequately addressed. Having HOT teams seek out individuals one at a time and addressing their specific needs may lead to better and more appropriate use of limited resources. The Homeless Outreach Teams’ multi-disciplinary make-up allows for comprehensive field assessments. With two or three disciplines (social services, medical, and safety) addressing an individual’s needs it is more likely that a break in the cycle of homelessness will occur. Because of budgetary constraints, the teams now operate with only two professionals on a team in order to make-up more teams and reach more homeless people. With an increase in staff, they would, once again, be able to operate more effectively as they originally did with all three professionals on a team and perhaps expand to serve youth. The Homeless Outreach Teams only cover the downtown and beach areas. The juvenile homeless in our county do not routinely stay within these areas. They tend to be more visible at night and are found in Hillcrest and under freeway ramps along Interstate 5. For the calendar year 2003, the Homeless Outreach Teams contacted over 1,000 chronically homeless people. For the month of January 2004, they contacted over 200 chronically homeless people. Having an outreach team to locate and serve these 1,200 people frees up valuable time and resources from other law enforcement units in our downtown area. Eight shelter beds are designated to Homeless Outreach Team clients. With the number of contacts and placements made by these teams last year, this small amount of shelter space is insufficient to meet their needs. The Homeless Outreach Team program is a successful collaborative effort by the city and county to address the downtown homeless population. There is a need to expand and enhance this outreach to the homeless juveniles of our county. Early intervention and early identification of their reason for being on the street may prevent them from becoming chronically homeless adults.
No recommendations for this finding
Commendations 1
-
CM1The Grand Jury would like to commend all the Homeless Outreach Team members for their dedication to working with this challenging population of citizens. REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS The California Penal Code §933 (c) requires any public agency which the Grand Jury has reviewed, and about which it has issued a final report, to comment to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court on the findings and recommendations pertaining to matters under the control of the agency. Such comment shall be made no later than 90 days after the Grand Jury publishes its report (filed with the Clerk of the Court); except that in the case of a report containing findings and recommendations pertaining to a department or agency headed by an elected County official (e.g. District Attorney, Sheriff, etc.), such comment shall be made within 60 days to the Presiding Judge with an information copy sent to the Board of Supervisors. Furthermore, California Penal Code §933.05(a), (b),(c), details, as follows, the manner in which such comment(s) are to be made: As to each grand jury finding, the responding person or entity shall (a) indicate one of the following: The respondent agrees with the finding. (1) The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the (2) finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion Report 2003/4-07 of the finding that is disputed and shall include an explanation of the reasons therefor. As to each grand jury recommendation, the responding person or entity shall (b) report one of the following actions: The recommendation has been implemented, with a summary (1) regarding the implemented action. The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but will be (2) implemented in the future, with a time frame for implementation. The recommendation requires further analysis, with an (3) explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for discussion by the officer or head of the agency or department being investigated or reviewed, including the governing body of the public agency when applicable. This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date of publication of the grand jury report. The recommendation will not be implemented because it is not (4) warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation therefor. If a finding or recommendation of the grand jury addresses budgetary or (c) personnel matters of a county agency or department head and the Board of Supervisors shall respond if requested by the grand jury, but the response of the Board of Supervisors shall address only those budgetary or personnel matters over which it has some decision making authority. The response of the elected agency or department head shall address all aspects of the findings or recommendations affecting his or her agency or department. Comments to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court in compliance with the Penal Code §933.05 are required by the date indicated: RESPONDING AGENCY