BEDS workers visit known places where homeless individuals congregate in each of the municipalities BEDS serves. Street Outreach Workers provide food, basic need items, and medical referrals to mitigate the harm of living rough. Unsheltered individuals are encouraged to accept shelter and supportive services.
Since the start of COVID, emergency shelter has consisted of permanent blocks of rooms at area motels where we can immediately place those who are literally homeless. Our goal is to move each client out of shelter within 90 days through placement in one of our housing programs or other positive exit, such as moving in with family.
This program places homeless families in an apartment for 90 to 180 days while they qualify for a permanent housing placement. Families in this program might start in emergency shelter but then quickly transition to apartment-based shelter before transferring to permanent housing.
