A Kamloops council committee has recommended changes to CSO service levels.
More than 9,000 files involving vulnerable people were logged by Community Service Officers last year in Kamloops, most of them handled by teams that pair municipal staff with outreach workers.
Natasha Hartson, social, housing and community development manager for the City of Kamloops, told council’s safety and security committee on Monday there were nearly 9,000 vulnerable person files logged by CSOs, and about 90 per cent were responded to initially by CSO outreach and response teams.
The teams, which pair City of Kamloops CSOs and outreach workers from non-profit agencies, respond to people in crisis — including those who are homeless or struggling with mental health or substance use issues.
Hartson said the teams took part in more than 800 shifts through 2025. The outreach staff, who are from ASK Wellness and the Canadian Mental Health Association Kamloops, recorded more than 17,000 interactions with individuals.
“What we heard from the statistics basically is that there is reported repeat engagements with these same individuals facing chronic homelessness, mental health concerns and substance use challenges,” Hartson said.
“So key to this is that they feel this is demonstrating the ongoing complexities of the social challenges we’re faced with as a community, rather than just one-time contacts.”
The teams respond to about 26 interactions per shift, and more than 40 during peak periods.
“They do see significant surges between May and October,” Hartson said, noting the warmer months bring people outside more frequently.
Hartson said the teams perform safety and wellness checks, de-escalate conflicts, distribute basic supplies and refer people services.
“It’s not always illegal to do all the activities that are happening, and so moving folks along does take a relationship approach at times. The idea is to build trust, to help reduce some of the barriers, and to help engage with the population more in a safe manner,” Hartson said.
The teams have been divided into North Shore and South Shore zones, which Hartson said has increased efficiency.
Hartson said there have been some success stories as teams have become familiar with people on the street. One individual was initially suspicious of staff and had been avoiding needed health services, but the team was eventually able to connect her with medical care and she is now living in supportive housing.
In another case, an older person who was experiencing declining health outdoors was able to be connected with street nursing services and ultimately accessed shelter, even though the individual had initially declined hospitalization.
Hartson said CSOs and outreach staff have reported finding value in working together, saying the team approach has allowed them to learn from each other and build mutual respect.
