-I've seen how it can go in the community,
how things can take a wrong turn.
Something has to be done.
-So we have this video of this dude.
It's a White guy in his 30s,
and he's been coming up in our yards over here
and just checking locks and looking for stuff to steal.
At our NPU meeting this week,
they mentioned that this new program,
so we thought we'd try to take advantage of it.
-Okay, yes sir. -Appreciate you coming out.
-Yeah. -I'll show you where the guy is.
-Yeah, please. -It's a White guy, dark hair.
He's behind these cedar trees.
-Hi. My name's Norma.
I'm from PAD.
You need some help?
'Cause we don't want the police to come along and take you away
for something that's not necessary.
You need some help?
What we do is provide an alternative to arrest
for people who are experiencing homelessness, mental-health,
or substance-abuse issues.
-Thank you so much. -You're welcome.
You're welcome.
Are you looking for anywhere to stay?
We're first responders, in a way.
We are what the agency call PAD.
If you all ever have any needs as far as, like,
you know, housing, shelter, food,
anything like that, you can actually call 311
and just let them know what's going on
and they'll transfer you guys to us.
We're really, like, in place to help people.
You know, sometimes, police will be out here
and, like, messing with everyone,
so we're kind of the agency to step in
to prevent that from happening and actually help.
-311? -311, yes, sir.
-It's PAD? -Yeah, yes, sir.
-I went down and lived under the freeway
in the tents down there and got in trouble there.
-The jails are full of people who have charges related
to them just not being able to cope
with whatever their mental-health issue
is or whatever their social-health issue is.
Instead of people being given the things that they need
to resolve those challenges,
they're thrown in jail, you know.
Maybe that's something we can look into, like,
where we can order or ask for or do like a blanket drive
so that we always have.
-I would think so. -I would, too.
-Once we're finished getting them settled
and meeting their immediate needs,
they're assigned a case manager or care navigator
that can provide some type of wrap-around services.
-This work is really a part of me
because I myself have struggled with mental illness.
I actually went to college on a band scholarship
to play the drums, and to get to band camp
an I'm not able to keep up with the demanding schedule
because of where I was at mentally.
That was a dream that I had to let go
because I wasn't ready to handle it at the time.
I feel like that gives me a certain level of empathy
when I'm looking at some of these individuals
and working with them because I'm like, "You know what?
I really can see myself in them, in a way."
If you really get to talk to some of these people
that are in some of these situations,
you see that they have a lot more potential
than the level that they're operating on.
-Really, sometimes people just need to know
what they have access to, and they need a helping hand
to guide them to whatever that resource may be,
because one little thing sometimes can make a difference
in someone's life.
-Yes, sir, no problem. Have a good one.
Alright. Alright.
Y'all, too, man.
Alright, take care.
Exactly. Yes, sir.
Okay.