‘Operation Shelter Me’: 93 people contacted in Victorville homeless outreach effort

Sheriff's deputies contacted 93 people to offer referrals to programs and services during a one-day homeless outreach effort in and around Victorville under San Bernardino County's "Operation Shelter Me" campaign, officials said.

Members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement, or H.O.P.E., Team conducted the outreach between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, with a special focus "on those with the most significant mental illness to get those individuals linked to restorative mental health pathways," the agency said in a written statement .

Feeding pets of the homeless: Victorville Mitsubishi hosting ‘Fill-an-SUV’ in October

"The H.O.P.E. Team located 93 individuals experiencing homelessness," according to the statement. "The team provided 54 individuals with referrals to programs for assistance. A total of 20 individuals were linked with follow-up professional services."

Two families were among the people contacted, and both were linked with housing, sheriff's officials said.

Deputies also identified one person for potential referral for court-mandated outpatient mental health treatment under Laura's Law .

The law, which San Bernardino County officials opted into in 2023, "provides opportunities for court-ordered community treatment pathways for individuals with histories of hospitalization or incarceration, and histories of violence to themselves or others," the sheriff's department statement said.

Last week's campaign, along with others to come in the future, are paid for by "Community Concerns" funding provided by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

More: Man shot to death at Victorville Galleria

Anyone who knows someone experiencing homelessness and in need of services can contact the H.O.P.E. Team at (909) 387-0623, or by email at hope@sbcsd.org .

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: ‘Operation Shelter Me’: 93 people contacted in Victorville homeless outreach effort