Grand Rapids retools Homeless Outreach Team, expands coverage to 24 hours starting June 2

The Grand Rapids Homeless Outreach Team will shift to 24-hour coverage and a revised staffing model, Fire Chief Brown told the Public Safety Committee Friday, citing retirements and recruitment challenges among current team members.

Chief Brown said HOT will remain in the fire department and shift to a 24-hour staffing model beginning June 2. The city will deploy a fire captain or lieutenant in a response vehicle along with two social workers supplied by Network 180; Network 180 is transitioning from five social workers on the team to two and staff said a personnel gap is expected until the new hires start.

"We're going to shift to 24 hour coverage," Chief Brown said, adding the change will allow the team to combine homelessness outreach with medical outreach work for frequent users of emergency services.

Kristen Spikerman, chief clinical officer at Network 180, confirmed the organization is creating job descriptions and hiring for two social-worker positions and said there will be a short gap while Network 180 repositions staff who previously served on the HOT team.

Deputy City Manager Barrons presented city data describing call volumes and HOT contacts. The administration reported more than 1,800 HOT contacts in the city in the fiscal first quarter and nearly 1,200 contacts in the second quarter; Hot-related 311 calls have been running at more than 90 calls per quarter in the most recent reporting window. Barrons also reminded the committee that the city adopted additional personal-property code measures in May 2023 and that staff maintain a flowchart and cross-department training to support implementation.

"We do maintain these materials in a shared location," Barrons said, referring to staff guidance on how to apply the personal-property ordinance and how Public Works and HOT coordinate subsequent cleanups or impoundments.

Public Works reported it impounded four items during the recent reporting period; none of those items were redeemed. Barrons said the city has increased Public Works staffing to provide on-demand or ad-hoc cleanup services to support personal-property enforcement.

Chief Brown gave operational examples to illustrate the change in practice: crews will spend less time responding with large apparatus to frequent 911 calls from people who need casework, such as a person missing dialysis appointments, and instead will use the HOT's case-management approach to link people to services. Brown said the transition may create a temporary "blip" in service levels while the team fully staffs to the new model.

City leaders discussed whether some calls should receive a non-police medical or social-worker response. Chief Brown and other staff said the redesigned HOT model aims to reduce repeated emergency responses and connect people to shelter, health care, and other services, while police will continue to provide liaison support.

Several committee members urged clear communications about the redesign and emphasized continued focus on people experiencing homelessness, families and children. One commissioner asked that outreach teams be equipped to provide accurate referrals (for example, housing or benefits navigation) rather than only initial wellness checks; Chief Brown said the team will rely on Network 180 and Community Development for casework follow-through.

Next steps: HOT go-live for 24-hour staffing is scheduled for June 2; Network 180 is hiring two social workers to fill the ongoing roles; city staff said they will monitor service continuity during the transition and continue cross-department training on the personal-property ordinance and cleanup procedures.