Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement (HOPE) Team
The Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement (HOPE) team's mission is to identify the needs of community members experiencing homelessness while providing appropriate resources that will have a lasting impact.
The HOPE team identifies persons experiencing homelessness through service requests, calls for service, referrals, and self-initiated activity. They provide a new approach to reducing homelessness in Washoe County through care, compassion, and a better understanding of the needs of our most vulnerable population. While providing resources, the HOPE team connects the unsheltered population to emergency shelters, housing, Medicaid, and critical services (medical or mental health).
The HOPE Team emphasises outreach in an effort to educate our community members, prevent homelessness, assist in transitioning individuals out of homelessness, and provide life-sustaining assistance. Collaborating with sister agencies is vital to reducing the barriers between jurisdictions and ensuring immediate service.
Request Resources
Submit a request for service by the H.O.P.E. Team to assist a person experiencing homelessness by completing the form linked below. The individual should be located in unicorporated Washoe County, this includes areas like Sun Valley, Spanish Springs, Cold Springs and Incline Village. If you believe a crime has been committed, please fill out an Online Crime Report. IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY PLEASE CALL 911.
Find additional resources here.
Meet the HOPE Team
The Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement (HOPE) team was created on July 5, 2021. The team is comprised of one sergeant, two deputies, and two case managers. Reach the team by emailling Sheriff-HOPETeam@washoecounty.gov.
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Sergeant Natasha Schuette Sergeant Natasha Schuette was hired with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in 2011. She began her career in the Washoe County Sheriff's Office Forensic Science Division (Crime Lab) before becoming a Deputy Sheriff. She has worked in Detention, District Court, Patrol and Detectives before promoting to Sergeant. Sergeant Schuette is a member of the Hostage Negotiations Team and was recently selected as Team Lead. She believes the Sergeant position of the H.O.P.E. Team is an amazing opportunity to carry on the mission and values of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and pursue her passion of helping her community and those in need. |
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Deputy Kourtney Lusby Deputy Lusby has been serving Washoe County as a Deputy since 2019. She has had multiple roles with the Sheriff’s Office in both Detention and Patrol. She is a Field Training Officer (FTO), Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and part of the Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT). Deputy Lusby is excited to pursue her new position as a HOPE Deputy. She is passionate about educating the community on available resources, bridging the gap between Law Enforcement and the unhoused population, while keeping our community safe. |
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Deputy Levi Smith Deputy Smith has been serving Washoe County as a Deputy since 2005. He worked five and a half years in the Washoe County Detention Facility before moving to patrol. During his twelve and a half years on patrol, training was his passion - serving as a Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC), and Situational Awareness Training (SAT) instructor, while also being a lead Field Training Officer on Patrol. After serving five and a half years on SWAT, enhancing his firearm skills and tactical knowledg, Deputy Smith is now excited to change gears with his new role on the HOPE Team to assist this vulnerable population of Washoe County. |