The City’s Office of Housing and Community Services-Homeless Outreach Services Team currently provides support through a walk-in center and community outreach, operating Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Additionally, the City funds an extended outreach team available Thursday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Outside these hours, our contracted provider, New Hope CORPS, offers specialized outreach services seven (7) days a week from 7:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

Despite these efforts, there is an identified need to improve phone coverage for the homeless services main line (305-604-4663) during evening off-hours to ensure continuous support for individuals in need.

In 2022, the Administration implemented Commissioner Fernandez's MBCARES signage suggestion in highly concentrated areas to promote accessibility to homeless services. These signs include information on the main telephone line for homeless outreach, the walk-in center location, and the website. This initiative has been instrumental in raising awareness and connecting individuals experiencing homelessness with necessary services.

However, the Homeless Outreach Services Team currently only responds to calls during regular working hours. The extended outreach team handles calls on Thursday and Friday evenings, as well as weekends. Outside of regular and extended office hours, concerns are often reported to the police non-emergency number for assistance.

To ensure 24/7 support, the Administration is proposing to collaborate with the Information Technology Department and the Fire Department Public Safety Communications Division to explore the potential of rerouting calls from the homeless services main line to the City's non-emergency number after hours. This would involve the following steps:

Coordinate with the Information Technology (IT) Department:

· Work with the IT department to assess the technological requirements and feasibility of rerouting calls after regular working hours.

· Identify any potential technical or operational challenges during the rerouting process.

 Coordination with the Public Safety Communications Division:

· Engage with the Public Safety Communications Division to ensure they have the capacity and resources to handle the increased volume of calls.

· Develop a protocol for dispatchers to efficiently manage and respond to homelessness-related calls during after-hours.

 Potential Training and Resources Needed:

· Provide additional training for dispatchers to effectively handle calls related to homelessness.

· Ensure the Police-Homeless Resource Unit Sergeant and New Hope CORPS are prepared to assist when contacted.

 Monitoring and Evaluation:

· Implement a system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the rerouted calls.

· Collect data to inform further decision-making and potential adjustments to the process.