Board honors Dennis Buettner for 23 years of outreach to unsheltered residents

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on March 25 recognized Dennis Buettner, a protective services social worker in Behavioral Health Services, for 23 years of outreach to people experiencing homelessness.

Chair Canapa and several supervisors praised Buettner at a short podium ceremony, calling him a consistent presence who treated encampment residents with “dignity and respect.” In accepting the recognition, Buettner described his approach as rooted in availability and compassion: “My greatest availability is my availability,” he told the board, saying he often sits on the ground with people in encampments to listen to their stories and connect them to services.

Buettner listed partner organizations he said were essential to his work, including St. Mary’s, the Gospel Center Rescue Mission, Prevail, Tracy Community Connection Center, Hope Harbor and the Housing Authority. Betsy Pettis, deputy director who oversees the county’s homeless division, and Genevieve Valentine, director of Behavioral Health Services, both thanked Buettner for training and modeling engagement for other staff.

Buettner urged the board not to treat homelessness as a campaign issue but as a humanitarian crisis that requires long-term resources and cross-jurisdictional cooperation among cities, county, law enforcement and Caltrans. He asked supervisors to “fight for” homeless residents, calling housing and supportive services the clearest path out of homelessness.

The board presented Buettner with a plaque; the recognition was ceremonial and did not include a formal policy action.