SPOKANE, Wash. – The City of Spokane says its new street outreach teams, created in partnership with Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington, have made notable strides in their initial days.
According to the City within just 12 days, the teams visited all sites related to active cases, clearing 96 encampments. Mayor Lisa Brown’s office says most of the individuals encountered accepted connections to behavioral health or housing services, including the navigation center.
“These outreach teams are an essential piece of our plan, and I am pleased to see the early success of their work,” Mayor Brown said. “This is a great example of the partnership needed to make sustainable change.”
In the announcement, Jonathan Mallahan, President of Catholic Charities Housing Ventures, expressed optimism about the initial progress. “Because of these efforts, there are fewer people who are forced to sleep, eat and exist outdoors,” he said.
The outreach teams are stationed in all four Spokane Police Department precincts, including downtown.
Starting the week of October 19th, Spokane 311 will introduce a new outreach reporting feature. The public will be able to dial 311 or visit www.spokane311.org to report individuals needing assistance, enabling near real-time dispatch of outreach teams.
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