A homeless encampment off of China Hat Road in Bend.  

What we don’t hear often enough about the homeless camps on federal land off China Hat Road near Bend are the successes.

The successes are ferociously limited. They come in murmurs not shouts. But imagine how much better it could be if we were committed to building on the success.

Colleen Thomas, a supervisor with Deschutes County’s homeless efforts, recounted successes the county has had. Her team works with people who have acute psychiatric and/or substance use disorders. They directly contact more than 200 people a week. They help connect people with services for their disorders and basics such as food, water and shelter. They provide instruction in fire safety. They try to get people on a path to stability and out of homelessness.

About a year ago, her team launched a mobile street psychiatry, bringing treatment directly to people at China Hat. It’s only four hours a month for now. Providers rotate.

“One of the biggest issues we have is capacity,” she said. It is inadequate to serve the need.

The mobile team has met with 24 unique individuals over 40 visits. It has managed to get 4 people enrolled in formal psychiatric services.

“It may seem like a low number, but it is a huge success for us,” she said.

If the goal is to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness in the China Hat area and elsewhere in the county, boost this program.

Thomas said they could use the help of nurse practitioners and more support with case management.

And now another tale of success. In the past 2 and half years, Central Oregon Veterans Outreach has been able to get 35 homeless veterans into permanent housing.

“You can’t do that in 30 days,” said, J.W. Terry, the organization’s executive director. “You can’t do that in 90 days. I have got caseworkers. I have got peer support.”

Imagine what his group could do with more help.

Thomas and Terry were speaking at a Thursday meeting hosted by the Deschutes County Coordinated Houseless Response Office. More than a dozen representatives from different local and federal agencies, nonprofits and residents gathered around a table. They zeroed in on the issues of people living on the federal land around China Hat Road.

Of course, the meeting felt unwieldy. There were minutes after minutes of basic introductions. People were meeting for the first time, often unfamiliar with the role or responsibility of the others.

But it was a step toward progress, especially if we build on the successes.