An ambitious Nevada County homeless pilot project has received approval, funding, and praise from a state commission. Project coordinator, Priya Kannall, says it’s called Homeless Outreach and Medical Engagement, or HOME. They’re creating what’s called a HOME team. It will include a nurse, personal services coordinator, as well as a peer specialist, who has been homeless in the past and has also received mental health treatment. There will be more frequent and assertive visits to camps…

Kannall says physical and mental health needs will be addressed first, in addition to low-barrier housing availability. The peer specialist will also identify substance use disorders in a welcoming manner. And the hope is that will also reduce the number of people needing to resort to criminality, such as thefts…

Kannall says it’s a five-year project, allowing plenty of time to see how it works and make improvements along the way. In approving two-point-three million dollars for it, one state commissioner describes the project as a, quote, “awesome proposal”.