Imperial County launches COVID-19 Homeless Housing Program
County acquires 10 trailers for the program
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has reintroduced the discussion of how to care for the homeless, a high-risk population for contagion.
The Imperial County Department of Social Services, along with the Imperial County Continuum of Care Council (IVCCC) and other services are now working together to house homeless individuals affected by the virus.
The county has launched the COVID-19 Homelessness Housing Program to shelter homeless individuals who have tested positive for the virus, but are not sick enough to be hospitalized.
The county says it has acquired ten trailers to quarantine those homeless with a positive coronavirus test result while also to containing the spread of the virus within a high-risk community.
“We want to centralize the program to one location and bring together a multidisciplinary team to evaluate the immediate needs of the homeless participating in the program,” said Veronica Rodriguez, Director of Imperial County Department of Social Services.
She says the goal is to prevent further spread of the virus and make sure the medical needs of those quarantined are met.
“This is about providing coordinated care services.”
The county says the ten trailers were obtained under the Gov. Newsom's $500 million emergency funding package authorized by the Legislature, with $150 million of that funding set aside for local emergency homeless actions.
If a homeless individual tests coronavirus positive and does not require hospitalization, the medical facilities conducting the test will notify county Social Services through a homeless hotline.
Then, the individual will be enrolled into the COVID-19 Homeless Housing Program to provide care and address the most immediate needs.
“This is going to take a community wide effort,” Rodriguez said.
“It does spark a conversation about the importance to work as a community to address the bigger system issues we have of homelessness in our county.”
