This panel highlights the ways that cross agency collaborative efforts have inspired innovative approaches that are removing barriers to housing and health by increasing accessibility to services for some of the County of San Diego’s most vulnerable residents experiencing homelessness. The panel discussion will conclude with a Q&A session.

The Regional Taskforce on Homelessness (RTFH) will provide an overview of homelessness in the region and explain how collaborative funding, shared community standards, and region-wide advocacy efforts inform policy changes and promote a community-wide commitment to ending homelessness. The County of San Diego’s Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities, Office of Homeless Solutions (HSEC-OHS) has collaborated with local jurisdictions, school districts and community partners to secure funding and deliver direct services for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. We will summarize how these collaborative efforts are operationalized through several HSEC-OHS programs.

In an effort to remove barriers to health for people experiencing homelessness the County of San Diego’s Medical Care Services department has launched the County Street Medicine Initiative in an effort to bring medical care to unsheltered individuals, where they live.

In collaboration with a number of community partners, the County of San Diego Public Defender’s “Homeless Court” assists defendants experiencing homelessness to resolve outstanding warrants, ticket and misdemeanor infractions that prevent them from being able to secure employment and housing. Attendees can also access housing navigation services, help with obtaining vital document, assistance applying for public benefits, substance use and mental health resources