The H.O.M.E. Team
Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement Team
The H.O.M.E. Team provides intervention and outreach services n Portland's downtown business district and the adjacent Bayside neighborhood. The intervention and outreach workers interact with people living on the streets, business owners, property owners, public safety officers and the general public.
With assessment, intervention, and referral services the H.O.M.E. team helps to guide homeless individuals and people living on the streets, many of whom struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues, to appropriate social services. By providing proactive intervention services, we divert individuals from needing more intensive and expensive interventions by police, emergency medical services, and hospital emergency room services.
The H.O.M.E. Team is a project led by the Milestone Foundation in partnership with Portland's Downtown District, Mercy Hospital, Preble Street Resource Center, Youth Alternatives Ingraham, Portland Health and Human Services, Portland Police and Fire Departments, Portland's Economic Development Division, The United Way of Greater Portland, and the Center for Research at the University of New England.
The hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. There are two outreach teams. The first team is on the streets Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. The second team is availablr Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 noon to 8:00 pm. The second team operates a van that can be used to transport individuals who are in distress or who are highly intoxicated to appropriate services.
Requests for assistance will be made directly to Outreach Workers. Each worker will have a cell phone and each team will have an email address. Contact information below:
Morning Outreach Team Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm
Peggy Lynch cell: 838-8798 Email plhomet@gmail.com
Kate Beaulieu cell: 590-4583
Afternoon Outreach Team: Tuesday - Saturday 12:00 to 8:00pm
John Dana cell: 838-8718 Email jdhomet@gmail.com
Jessie Flynn cell: 838-8904
The H.O.M.E. Team program is designed to provide real-time street intervention with individuals in the downtown business district and Bayside neighborhood who are engaging in disruptive behavior. We recognize that these behaviors are often the result of psycological stressors associated with poverty, homelessness, substance abuse and mental illness. Often these behaviors cause pedestrians, potential patrons, business and property owners to feel uncomfortable and/or unsafe.
Providing real time intervention services with trained outreach workers will significantly improve the sense of safety and well being for potential patrons and pedestrians downtown and Bayside neighborhood.