Olympic Health and Recovery Services outlines outreach and barriers for Tumwater’s unhoused population

Olympic Health and Recovery Services (OHRS) presented to the Tumwater committee on outreach and services for people experiencing homelessness in Tumwater and the wider Thurston County region, describing a mobile, engagement-first approach and persistent barriers to sustained housing.

Joe Avalos, OHRS executive director, described the organization’s three primary program areas—crisis services, jail diversion and hospital diversion—and said the Tumwater Mobile Outreach team sits in the crisis services division. "My name is Joe Avalos. I'm the executive director here at Olympic Health and Recovery Services," he said, and he introduced clinical director Erica Donahue and HOST supervisor Leila Cardenas to explain program details.

Erica Donahue said outreach in Tumwater is complicated because encampments there tend to be…