Homeless Outreach Support Team H.O.S.T.

The San Bernardino County, Department of Behavioral Health, Homeless Outreach Support Team (HOST) is an outreach-based program providing services in the field to engage chronically homeless individuals into permanent supportive housing.  Outreach in the field includes assistance to complete applications, assistance to gain necessary documentation, and linkage to benefits and other resources.

Fontana PD’s MET Outreach unit consists of one police officer, one probation officer and one HOST personnel.  This team will go out in the field and proactively engage with homeless individuals, some of which need to contacted multiple times in order to build rapport and gain trust with the team.  If these individuals need assistance with obtaining their personal documentation (such as ID’s, SS card, medical card, etc.) this team with assist them with transportation to those various locations and help them through the process. Every contact is individualized to that persons’ specific needs.

MET Outreach provides linkage for these individuals for possible housing, rehabilitation centers, or shelter assistance, with the assistance of local community resource providers.