About the Ventura County Continuum of Care
Mission Statement
The Ventura County Continuum of Care Alliance is a collaborative group dedicated to promoting a safe, desirable and thriving community by ending homelessness in Ventura County.
Vision
Homelessness in Ventura County is rare, brief and nonrecurring.
Values
The dignity of every human life.
The well-being of the entire community.
The power of the community working together to solve community problems.
Guiding Principles
Collaboration and Coordination
Invest in evidence-based, results-driven and client-focused systems of support that integrate practices, procedures, and services within and across public and private agencies, programs, and policies.
Housing First
People experiencing homelessness require very affordable and permanent housing solutions as quickly as possible and then services as needed.
Strength-Based
Start with and build upon the skills, strengths, and positive characteristics of each person.
Trauma-Informed
Homelessness is a complex, high-risk and individualized condition, not a character trait. Recognize that most people experiencing homelessness have experienced trauma, and build relationships, responses, and services on that knowledge.
Harm Reduction
Seek to reduce the effects of risky behavior in the short-term and eliminate its effects in the long-term.
Governance Board
Dawn Dyer (Board Chair), Dyer Sheehan Group, Inc
Manuel Minjares (Vice Board Chair), City of Fillmore & County BOS
Paul Drevenstedt, VC Public Defender
Stefany Gonzalez, Person with Lived Experience
Ingrid Hardy, City of Thousand Oaks
Dr. Sevet Johnson, County Executive Officer
Mara Malch, City of Simi Valley
Jack Edelstein, VC Community Foundation
Juliana Gallardo, People’s Self-Help Housing
Pauline Preciado, Gold Coast Health Plan
Jeff Lambert, Housing Authority of SanBuenaventura
Carrie Sabatini, Area Housing Authority
Michael Skinner, City of Oxnard
Quick Links
Staff
- Jennifer Harkey
- Alicia Morales-McKinney
- Felipe Flores
- Morgan Saveliff