OCEAN CITY – Officials at Diakonia say additional resources are needed to expand its Rapid Response Team, a pilot program that has assisted more than 100 homeless individuals this year.
From April to August, members of Diakonia’s new Rapid Response Team (RRT) provided immediate assistance to 118 people facing homelessness. Executive Director Ken Argot said the pilot program has since been able to place 18 of those individuals in shelter and three in permanent housing, while assisting several others with clothing, SNAP benefits and drug rehabilitation admissions.
“These are eye-opening returns,” he said. “Post pilot phase, there is certainly proof of concept that RRT is a vital program and should be part of a permanent component of homeless outreach in our community, working alongside our referring partners and local law enforcement.”
For years, Diakonia has been a member of the Worcester County Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), a multi-agency effort to connect homeless individuals with local resources. While HOT members go out into the community at scheduled dates and times, on-call staff with the Rapid Response Team are dispatched as soon as law enforcement, EMTs, hospitals or other service providers identify a new homeless individual.
“Today, there is still a need for both entities,” Argot explained. “RRT responds to the call of homelessness in real time, with coordination from HOT and local law enforcement. RRT is dispatched when information is given that a client is at a specific location and either appears to be in need of services or has resulted in a complaint to authorities.”
Officials say homelessness is a complex issue, with contributing factors such as chronic health illness, mental illness and substance use. Argot said the COVID pandemic has exacerbated those issues.
“Post COVID, the challenges and narrative have changed,” he said. “While outreach traditionally has had a level of risk, post COVID we have seen a rise in persons presenting with more pronounced mental health and substance use issues. In addition to this, with the rising cost or rentals, we are seeing a level of evictions that, as a community, we have perhaps not been adequately prepared.”
That, he said, is why services provided by HOT and the Rapid Response Team are critical.
Throughout the five-month pilot program, the Rapid Response Team was dispatched 54 times, resulting in 118 people being served. Thirty-three individuals were placed in shelters, three were placed in permanent housing and 18 were signed up for SNAP benefits. Additionally, 18 individuals received clothing vouchers and four were successfully admitted into drug rehabilitation.
But Argot said the pilot program did come with its challenges, as it utilized Diakonia staff with limited availability to always respond to calls. Rapid Response Team members also saw a need to expand services to other parts of Worcester County.
“Initially, the program was to serve only Ocean City, but quickly it was noted that other areas of Worcester County needed this service as well,” he said.
In order to expand services, Argot said Diakonia will likely have to shift staff duties and hire additional personnel. The expansion would also require additional funds.
“For now, however, RRT will continue to function in a limited capacity until such a time as funding can be secured,” he said. “It is important to note that pilot phase numbers would be higher, but as the RRT is a volunteer endeavor, the team’s individual responsibilities for Diakonia supersede their outreach efforts.”
Argot said the community can support the Rapid Response Team by visiting diakoniaoc.org, clicking on the “Donate Now” button, and placing “Homeless Outreach” in the comments section of the donation form. The Rapid Response Team is also seeking donations that can be distributed to individuals during the winter months.
“Any items that homeless persons could use during the winter (coats, blankets, gloves, hats, hygiene products, etc.) would be greatly appreciated,” Argot said.
