Crook County outlines Point in Time Homeless Count plans

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Crook County Health Department issued an announcement Tuesday urging participation in an upcoming count of the county's homeless residents, part of a nationwide effort, and providing details on how it will take place.

Here's the full news release:

Each January, the nation conducts a count of the homeless, and Central Oregon manages this project to count the homeless in each of our own three counties.  Without a firm count, we don’t have the information we need to support our community members in the best way possible.  There are a large number of support agencies in Crook County to help those who need it the most and this project gives us a way to reach out to those individuals and families. 

Please participate in the count this year by coming forward and reporting your status.  The count is done by a survey.  We do not put any confidential or personal information on the survey so your identity is protected.  The survey is conducted by volunteers who practice no judgement or bias. 

The count will be conducted over 3 days – Wednesday January 29^th, Thursday January 30^th and Friday January 31^st.  We want to know where you will sleep/where you slept on the night of Wednesday January 29^th.  Each location will be handing out incentives to anyone who is homeless and wanting to do surveys with us – the incentives include canned food, hygiene kits, gift cards to the Dollar Store, bottled water, insulated water bottles, warm blankets and tarps.  The supply is limited and there is no guarantee on what you will receive.

The dates and times of the reporting locations are as follows:

• The Eastside Church on NE 3rd Street will be serving a hot dinner on Wednesday January 29^th starting at 5:45 pm and everyone is welcome – the Health Department will have a table set up to help with the surveys
• The Health Department will be a self-reporting station where anyone can come in Wednesday the 29^th through Friday the 31^st from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• The Health Department will also have a call in option for anyone wanting to be counted who does not want to travel to town – 541-323-2467.  If no one answers please leave a message and we will call you back
• Redemption House shelters will survey in the evening on Wednesday January 29^th through Friday January 31^st
• Craig’s Compassionate Café will be surveying during the lunch hours on Wednesday January 29^th through Friday January 31st from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
• We will have volunteers out the evening of Wednesday January 29^th visiting campsites, RV parks, Hotels and Motels and anyone on the street or in the parks who wish to speak with us
• The Crook County Public Library will have a table staffed by the Health Department for anyone who wants to self-report their status Wednesday the 29^th through Friday the 31^st from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm