We must develop an effective crisis response system that can help people quickly exit homelessness to break the cycle. We need to implement sustainable solutions like addressing substance abuse and mental health which are the root cause of chronic homelessness for many. We know there is a direct correlation to homelessness when there are rising costs of rent that are greater than 30% of what you take home.
What’s Been Done:
- Created Data Specialist role in Human Services to aid in producing data sets for positive outcomes
- Amended Yakima County Homeless Coalition Charter to increase number of “Lived Experience” members from 1 to 3 on Executive Committee
- Created Care Coordinator role in Human Services to assist with warm handoffs from County jail and specialized coordination of unhoused individuals in emphasis locations
- Adopted Yakima County Encampment Policy and worked with City of Yakima and WSDOT on intersection encampments
- Streamlined Human Services grant cycle to ensure no State or Federal funding would be returned
