1. Homeless Outreach Team
Wichita Police Department

2. Definition of a homeless person:
A homeless person is an individual without permanent housing who may live on the streets; stay in a shelter, mission, abandoned building or vehicle; or in any other unstable or non-permanent situation.

3. Public Outcry Community Vs. Advocates Heavy Unsightly Handed Police
Homeless
Rights
Lack of
Shelter
Unsightly
Unsanitary
Fire Hazards
Safety Concerns
Poor Image
_____________________________________________________________
Safeguarding our community as our family

7. Issues we face and the impact to our community

8. _____________________________________________________________
Safeguarding our community as our family

11. Housing First
Housing First is one of the few existing programs across the United States with a retention rate greater than 80%. This means that at least four (4) out of every five (5) clients taken into the program remain in a stable living situation.
What does this mean for our community?
The annual taxpayer cost in Wichita is $54,000 for each chronically homeless individual. These costs accrue from the use of emergency room services, police, court, jail, fire, and ambulance. Clients entering the Housing First Program typically cease to use emergency and crisis services.
Bottom line: Taxpayers save $40,000 per year with foreach each individual in the Housing First program!
_____________________________________________________________
Safeguarding our community as our family 11

12. Reuniting with Family
Account set up to hold donated funds. We call it our “Finding A Way Home” program.
HOT officers will be purchase transportation tickets.
_____________________________________________________________
Safeguarding our community as our family

13. Current Statistics February 2013 - February 2014
Homeless Contacts: 2,654
911/Officer Request: 422
Bus Tickets:
Reunited w/ Family
Housed:
Refusals:
Job Referral:
Job Placement:
_____________________________________________________________
Safeguarding our community as our family

14. Key Strategies to Building a Successful Program in Wichita
Develop and maintain a multi-agency partnership
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness stated in 2012 that one of the goals should be for “Collaboration among Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health and Social Service Providers”
Ongoing personal contact and trust building between HOT and the homeless
Collaborative efforts to transition homeless into housing
_____________________________________________________________
Safeguarding our community as our family