DHS to post outreach specialist positions as providers expand on‑site work

Partner presenters and city staff described sustained daily outreach at the encampments and emphasized that trust built over repeated contacts has increased engagement. A partner presenter said outreach teams had been on site at least four hours per day, sometimes double days, and credited PACHA, UVA health and local ID teams with helping people get IDs and access to health care, wound care and mental‑health services.

Speaker 7 announced that the Department of Human Services will expand to include homelessness outreach specialists, posting a program manager and two outreach specialist roles. "These folks will actually be in the field," the agency official said, and will help support accurate data collection and reach people sleeping outdoors beyond the main encampments. Councilors and providers said sustained, consistent presence and additional capacity are key for connecting people to shelter and housing options.