Outreach
In August 2023, the City launched a community outreach program to provide in-person support to individuals who are unsheltered, at risk of being unsheltered, or experiencing multiple barriers to well-being. A team of trained, professional community outreach staff works directly with individuals who require assistance by focusing on locations that are frequented by vulnerable residents. The Community Outreach Team, along with various social agencies and law enforcement partners, work to address matters related to homelessness, encampments, and social disorder. The Community Outreach Team consists of an outreach supervisor, three community outreach workers, and a dedicated Community Peace Officer.
Hours of operation
Outreach services are available Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Contact us
To connect with the Community Outreach Team, you can contact us by phone at 780-962-7583, or by email.
By phone at 780-962-7583 or by email at communityoutreach@sprucegrove.org. The Community Outreach Team is available Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
There are many benefits to the community outreach service delivery model:
- It allows qualified, professional outreach workers to work directly with individuals requiring support. The Community Outreach Team drives and walks throughout the community, focusing on locations that are frequented by individuals in need of support. This allows for personalized, accessible, one-on-one contact.
- Outreach workers are able to support individuals with resources specific to each person’s unique needs including connecting them with mental health and addictions specialists, general resource and systems navigation, comprehensive case management, collaboration with other professionals, and exploring different housing options.
- It assists law enforcement, emergency responders, and health professionals by easing the strain on traditional support structures, while still meeting the needs of individuals who are not well supported through traditional systems.
- It increases community awareness, understanding, and compassion for those who are unsheltered or experiencing multiple barriers to well-being. It also increases public awareness of the Community Outreach Team and the services and support it provides to those in need.
The outreach model is funded through a combination of municipal and grant resources.
The Community Hub was a temporary support and referral facility which closed in June 2023. It was established the year prior, as a short-term solution for supporting the unsheltered population, while additional work was done to collect data, understand community needs, and explore potential longer-term solutions. The transition to the community outreach model began in July 2023, and the funding originally earmarked to support the Community Hub was redirected to support the community outreach program.
The City continues its efforts to develop a long-term supportive housing strategy. This involves identifying a non-profit partner agency, finding a suitable location, and securing the necessary funding to build a permanent supportive housing facility in Spruce Grove.