City, Catholic Charities Showcase Innovative Homeless Outreach Program

City of Spokane, Catholic Charities Showcase Innovative Homeless Outreach Program at National Conference

Erin Hut, Communications Director, [email protected]

Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 11:14 a.m.

The City of Spokane Housing and Human Services Department (HHS) and Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington (CCEW) were selected to present on their collaborative street outreach model at the National Conference on Ending Homelessness, a national gathering of service and system providers, advocates, and people with lived experience working to prevent and end homelessness.

HHS and CCEW's presentation, titled "Smart Street Response: Linking Your Engagement and Public Safety Objectives," highlighted Spokane's innovative approach to street outreach, which connects people experiencing homelessness with shelter, behavioral health services, and housing resources, while ensuring public safety needs and goals are met through a strategic partnership with the Spokane Police Department.

Spokane's coordinated street outreach program was launched in the fall of 2025. It utilizes the City's 311 system to centralize intake and gather reports of people in need of assistance and unauthorized encampments, then utilizes an internal mobile app to coordinate the proper response. That response can include outreach workers, code enforcement, and/or law enforcement depending on the specifics of the report.

Since launching this new model, the outreach teams have responded to and closed more than 4,100 service request counts.

"The invitation to present is a testament to the dedication and innovation of our outreach teams and law enforcement," Mayor Lisa Brown said. "Addressing homelessness requires coordination, collaboration, and a willingness to rethink traditional approaches. The City of Spokane is honored to share what we have learned with communities across the country, while continuing to learn from others doing this important work."

"The outreach teams continue to do amazing work in collaboration with the Housing and Human Services team, the Spokane Police Department, as well as our other local non-profit partners. We are proud to share their success with others who do this work, but more so, we are proud of the difference they are making in the lives of those they are interacting with daily across Spokane," said Rob McCann, CEO of Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington.

The City of Spokane continues to invest in a comprehensive approach to homelessness that includes coordinated street outreach, expanded shelter operations, navigation services, behavioral health partnerships, and permanent housing solutions. Presenting at the National Alliance to End Homelessness' conference provides an opportunity to share Spokane's progress while bringing back new ideas and best practices to continue strengthening the City's ongoing efforts.

Anyone who encounters an unauthorized encampment or a person in need of navigation to shelter, behavioral health, or other human services is encouraged to call Spokane 311 or go online, and request "Community Services."

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