Homeless Outreach and Engagement Services

The City of Palm Desert is seeking a provider to deliver Homeless Outreach and Engagement Services. The selected provider will assist the City in operating a program designed to promote the health, safety, and welfare of Palm Desert residents. The services will include street outreach, engagement activities, housing navigation, care coordination, and linkage to supportive services. The program will be funded through Opioid Settlement Funds and will have a budget of $200,000 per fiscal year. The provider will be required to deliver services in the field, including street-level and community-based locations, and will need to establish clear and measurable performance indicators for the services. Some of the key responsibilities of the provider will include: • Conducting daily street-based outreach to engage individuals experiencing homelessness • Using standardized assessment tools to identify individuals' needs • Entering data into the Coordinated Entry System (CES) and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) • Completing verifications of homelessness as needed • Assisting participants with transportation to critical appointments • Facilitating enrollment in health coverage or essential benefits • Creating and maintaining a City-specific By-Name List to track individuals and progress toward housing and treatment goals • Providing immediate linkage to substance use disorder treatment, recovery programs, and harm-reduction services when appropriate. The City is looking for a provider that can deliver these services with dignity, compassion, and respect, and that can demonstrate experience in providing similar services to vulnerable populations.