Sentinel staff report–
The City of Citrus Heights in a news release on Friday announced a proposed partnership with Sacramento County to restore outreach services to area homeless individuals, following the end of a popular “Navigator” program.
The proposal involves the city partnering with the Sacramento County Department of Homeless and Housing and Sacramento Covered, with an aim to enhance outreach and navigation services for the homeless population. The collaboration seeks to build upon recent county efforts and leverage the expertise of Sacramento Covered in providing healthcare access and care coordination.
“I am very optimistic that this is going to come together, as it needs to,” Mayor Tim Schaefer said of the proposal during a council meeting on Thursday, expressing hope that the partnership will be finalized in September. “Everybody’s working really hard to bring this program together, so please be patient with us.”
Following the dissolution of Sacramento Self-Help Housing and the affiliated Homeless Navigator service earlier this year, the city said it quickly sought alternative options to ensure the continuity of homeless outreach navigation services. The city approached the county to explore a partnership that would combine their efforts and address the needs of un-housed individuals more effectively.
According to the city’s June 23 news release, the partnership between the city, county, and Sacramento Covered aims to improve coordination and streamline efforts to support the un-housed population and facilitate pathways out of homelessness. The term “navigator” would be discontinued, with “Community Health Workers” operating under Sacramento Covered instead working to enhance efficiency and consistency in delivering services and resources for un-housed residents.
Pending approval by the City Council, the partnership could be implemented by late summer.
*AI was used in writing this report.
