Amid rise in homelessness, outreach group partnering with Berwyn police to ease burden on officers
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A recent rise in homelessness, and police departments with limited resources; that combination prompted a suburban department to partner with a homeless outreach group to ease the burden.
Morning Insider Tim McNicholas takes us inside that partnership.
When Mario Avila is called to help the police, he doesn't bring a gun or a badge.
"We have snacks. We have first aid kits," he said.
Avila is the street outreach manager for Beds Plus – a nonprofit that partners with the Berwyn Police Department for calls involving homeless people.
"We're a team of social service professionals here to help the homeless population, and they're here to protect. The police are here to protect the community. So it frees up a lot of their time," Avila said.
From the train station to street corners, the nonprofit shared photos of people they've helped in Berwyn over the past year.
"Homelessness has increased. There's been a lot of evictions," Avila said.
But Avila is more focused on a story of Beds Plus and Berwyn police helping find a new home for someone they encountered.
"He went into a substance abuse treatment facility, and then to shelter, and then from shelter we placed him in permanent supportive housing. So he's currently housed," he said. "If it works for one homeless person, then it's worked."
Unit Commander Gavin Zarbock and Deputy Chief Guy Papa said the partnership puts less of a burden on police and frees up resources for hospitals and paramedics.
"Whereas in the past, the officers would contact the paramedics, and then transport that individual to the hospital for care, when in some cases that individual doesn't necessarily need hospital treatment," Papa said.
Since the department started working with Beds Plus two and a half years ago, Avila says they've gotten 15 people in Berwyn into housing.
"That means our jobs paying off, our training, competencies of working with the homeless is paying off," Avila said.
And he expects that number to keep growing.
