Modesto neighborhood groups sign on for training to engage the homeless

Some neighborhood associations want to start engaging homeless people who don’t take advantage of services that could help rebuild their lives.

According to surveys, about 575 homeless people in Stanislaus County do not use shelters or access programs because of mental illness, addiction or other personal issues.

Training on the best ways to approach homeless individuals could begin in mid-April through the Focus on Prevention initiative, which was launched last year to reduce a widespread homeless population in Stanislaus County.

Part of the initiative involves neighborhood associations and watch groups. And a meeting was held Monday at the Petersen Event Center in Modesto to start working on specific plans.

Members of the College Area neighborhood association and Delwood neighborhood alliance, both in central Modesto, said they want to participate in the training. They also volunteered their neighborhoods for testing a multisector outreach team that could be assembled to work with the homeless.

The outreach team, composed of mental health and health workers and trained volunteers, would focus on pockets of Modesto and other cities where the homeless are prevalent, said Ruben Imperial, community development and empowerment manager for the county.

Leaders of Focus on Prevention believe an outreach team may be effective, but they won’t know until it is tested.

The strategy will be evaluated for results in shrinking the homeless population, reducing the length of time people are homeless, providing better access to mental health or addiction services and improving the well-being for those assisted.

The outreach team would be scrapped if it’s not effective. Any number of approaches could be developed during the 10-year Focus on Prevention initiative, which involves 10 sectors of the community including the arts, business, education, health and faith organizations.

Kevin Carroll, executive director of the Modesto Gospel Mission, is in charge of the upcoming training for neighborhood groups. According to handouts for Monday’s meeting, the goals of engagement are to build personal connections, help people find shelter or housing, and improve their health status and social support.

One neighborhood leader said more information on resources is needed for volunteers to assist people who struggle to keep their housing.

Terhesa Gamboa, chairwoman of the Woodland West Community Neighborhood in Modesto, said she recently became acquainted with a man who was precariously close to losing housing. He did not get support and now has lost his home, she said.

Members of the Denair Municipal Advisory Council said they don’t see the homeless in their small town, but they could focus attention on helping families keep their housing. County Office of Education figures show that 15 children are at risk of losing housing in Denair.

Based on a count every two years, Stanislaus County has 1,700 to 2,000 people who are homeless. An additional 18,000 residents are close to losing their homes because of financial struggles or household instability.

Speakers said additional meetings on engaging the homeless will be held for the business sector and groups in Turlock and Ceres.

This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Modesto neighborhood groups sign on for training to engage the homeless."