Street Outreach LEAG Feedback

The following are specific insights from LEAG members that inform the report and can be considered by providers and communities. Some ideas could be put into action immediately, while others might take broader planning, funding and implementation. This is not an exhaustive list of ideas, but these specific ideas and comments did emerge through facilitated conversations with LEAG.

Empower: Elevate people experiencing homelessness to identify gaps and implement solutions to lead personal, local and systemic change.

• Outreach may be a good, entry-level opportunity for people experiencing homelessness to explore work or a career, and they can be matched with mentors.
• To build trust, consistency is key. Be present and active in all weather and on a repeating day and time so people know when and where to find field-based services. Some folks may need to see a consistent/preferred outreach person over time.
• Experiment with outdoor/encampment emotional support groups, facilitated by a behavioral health social worker. Group work can recognize trauma and encourage access to needed healthcare and housing, and support each other in steps to move forward.
• Sit and have a meal with people, don’t just do ‘hand outs’. Socialize together over the meal. Explore people’s interests or what is happening that day. Listen for clues of what people really need.
• Remind people of ongoing services available when they don’t want to sleep outside one day, like in bad weather or they don’t feel good. Leave a simple business card with an address for when they need shelter under different circumstances.
• Ensure folks met in outreach know exactly how to get back in contact with a worker and stay connected to ongoing navigation or supportive services. Provide information on how to get a seat in front of someone who can help. Explore processes for a ‘hot hand off.’ How does a facility-based worker know when to give an immediate, focused response to a person who finally comes in to seek assistance?
• Help connect people to immediate health care response/resources if they are in a crisis.
• Bring fast phone-charging stations with you.
• Treat outdoor and unsheltered people’s space with privacy and respect. Introduce yourself, your agency/organization and your purpose when approaching. “I am a County Park Ranger and I am visiting this site to make sure it is safe if there is a flash flood. We are expecting heavy rains and want to keep people safe....”

Engage: Collaborate with community partners and stakeholders to enhance ESG programs and access to ESG solutions.

• Cultural sensitivity is critical to reach all. Outreach staff should be adequately trained on special population needs and unique services: BIPOC; LGBTQIA+; persons fleeing violence; persons with cognitive disabilities; seniors, persons whose first language is not English, etc. Resources and supports unique to these groups should be available to all participants and staff. Partnerships are key to inform this work.
• Create safe, outdoor, creative, services events to draw people out of encampments and hiding. Provide ‘ice-breaking’ necessities like hot, nutritious food and durable, quality survival gear.
• Additional ideas for creative and diverse outreach events:
  • Covid vaccination alongside pet vaccination;
  • mobile veterinarian services;
  • haircuts;
  • high speed charging stations;
  • shower and laundry trucks;
  • mobile first-aid and medical supplies and testing;
  • library books and reading materials;
  • translation and sign language services;
  • legal aid enrollment;
  • schedule bus/van service to/from town from encampments to events.
• Try to find out: why is this population growing and what percentage of the total unsheltered population are/aren’t engaged? How many people access further engagement and why? What works?
• Create small, durable postcards/business cards of key information for ESG-funded shelter, meals and ‘friendly’ spaces for water, restrooms, meals, sitting, etc.
• Enhance field-based mental and physical health services.
• Consider specific supports for outreach to migrants and refugees.
• Offer enrollments and orientation in food stamps in the field, as well as mobile food pantries, so people can choose what they want to eat.
• Put flyers and posters with ESG-funded service locations and welcoming messages in high traffic areas.
• As part of ESG Outreach, explore providing mobile medical test kits, supplies and training for a variety of medical conditions (diabetes, Narcan, CPR, etc.). Partners can assist with field-based healthcare and medical condition counseling and supplies (diabetes, needles/narcan, cancer screening and treatment, CPD, smoking, etc.)
• Work with Libraries, Food Banks, and other high-traffic locations to assist with basic information/resource navigation and allow public bulletin board postings directing people to ESG programs.

Evaluate: Target ESG data collection, communications, training and investments to drive program and system equity, accountability and impact.

• Provide demographic questions on short postcard surveys to quickly get baseline demographic data of the unsheltered population on that day, and over time.
• Create a shared triage tool and training for multiple partners to engage in structured and supportive street outreach (police, rangers, EMS, outreach workers, etc.) Where are you collaboratively directing people to for help and necessities? What consistent baseline information is shared with any field-based contact?
• Work with police, rangers, ER’s and other street and field contacts to understand ESG, and other programs that provide supportive connections, that aim to stop cycling people in crisis between jail, emergency rooms, and M1 holds.
• Require training in trauma-informed approaches and mental health first-aid for any community services targeting people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in any way (police, rangers, church groups, EMS, etc.) - recognizing trauma and how to communicate around those traumatic experiences.
• Train specific outreach workers to understand persistent engagement and motivational engagement who specifically work with unsheltered people toward housing.
• I think funders could send people out to the field to observe the programs they fund and see how they operate and their rapport and outcomes with engagement.