Board of Health recommends against enforcing camping ban, proposes peer support program

Andy Cambi, Pittsfield’s director of public health, told the Homeless Advisory Committee on March 4 that the Board of Health ‘‘do[es] not feel it's appropriate to enforce a camping ban’’ and has asked the mayor to implement a peer support program.

The program, Cambi said, draws inspiration from a Northampton site visit and is intended to "fix the relationships the city has with the unhoused population and business owners" while addressing sanitation concerns downtown. Cambi said the health department plans to hire peers through department staff and train them to be "trained and qualified."

Committee members asked for details on timing and integration with existing services. Member Eileen Peltier asked if there is a timeline and how the peer program will integrate with current providers; Cambi said the department is building relationships with providers to identify gaps. Member Chris Haley asked about peer training and credentials; Cambi replied peers would be hired by the health department and receive qualifying training. Member Michael McMahon asked how peer resources would help resolve sanitation problems; Cambi said a priority is understanding root causes by bringing peers into the outreach effort. Members Patrick Kavey and Eileen Peltier discussed changing the downtown narrative for businesses and people experiencing homelessness. Vice Chair Justine Dodds encouraged the health department to request help from the Homeless Advisory Committee if needed.

There was no formal vote on the recommendations during the meeting. Cambi described the Board of Health's stance as a policy recommendation to the mayor and framed the peer support program as a next step; the committee did not adopt or reject the recommendation at this session. The health department said it will continue developing the program and coordinating with existing service providers.