Thousand Oaks Police Department Vulnerable Population Officers continued their efforts to assist our homeless community, collaborating with area social services to arrange placement in assistance programs. The latest success was helping deliver a county citizen who is currently experiencing homelessness to a substance abuse rehabilitation program after months of interaction.
On January 6, 2021, deputies assisted Ventura County Behavioral Health in taking the homeless person to a facility to begin a 7-10 day program for substance abuse rehabilitation. The program includes housing and treatment. The process began after Vulnerable Population Officers assisted Ventura County Behavioral Health with an assessment on the person and space was located for him at the facility. After that, Ventura County Behavioral Health will follow-up to pursue additional placement for housing and further treatment. This opportunity was openly accepted by the homeless person to take the positive steps forward for help. This success is an example of the continuous and dedicated work by collaborators, sometimes over a span of weeks, months, or even years, to maintaining contact with and find placement for homeless persons in need of assistance in our community.
Over the past two years, Vulnerable Population Officers, Senior Deputy Juan Cordova and Deputy Josh Richter, have collaborated with stakeholders to find needed assistance for our homeless population. A local area focus group was established that includes the City of Thousand Oaks, Harbor House, Lutheran Social Services, Ventura County Health Care Agency, Ventura County Continuum of Care, Many Mansions, faith- based organizations, Ventura County Superior Court – Homeless Court, Ventura County Public Defender, and other non-profit organizations.
If you know any homeless person in Thousand Oaks who is willing to take a positive step forward to get help, the Vulnerable Population Officers are interested in contacting those who suffer from mental health, drug addiction, disabilities, or are in need of medical assistance. You can reach out to Sr. Deputy Cordova at [email protected], dial 2-1-1 (in Ventura County), or call Ventura County Behavioral Health Homeless Services at (805) 981-4200.
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