Sheriff’s deputies are canvassing the Barstow area to find people living on the streets and provide services to them as part of San Bernardino County’s “Operation Shelter Me” initiative, authorities said.

Members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement (HOPE) Team contacted 35 people in and around Barstow between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, according to the sheriff’s department.

“(Operation Shelter Me) aims to connect staff with homeless residents and provide them with shelter, medical and mental health treatment services,” the agency said. written statement.

During Friday’s outreach effort, “the team focused on individuals with significant mental illnesses to connect them to restorative mental health pathways,” according to the statement.

Of the people contacted by the team, 28 were referred to assistance programs and 20 were connected to follow-up services.

One person was placed in temporary supportive housing, while the other was matched with an intensive substance abuse program, officials said.

Sheriff’s officials added that Operation Shelter Beni is supported by the county “Community Concerns” fund, which aims to combat issues such as homelessness and mental health issues.

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“The HOPE Team and other aligned resources will continue similar operations throughout the county next year,” the statement said.

Anyone who knows someone experiencing homelessness and in need of services is asked to contact the HOPE Team at (909) 387-0623 or email [email protected].

This article first appeared in the Victorville Daily Press: Sheriff’s deputies conduct homeless outreach in Barstow