On June 1, the Austin Police Department will launch a pilot program designed to help provide homeless individuals with essential resources such as housing, mental health treatment, employment assistance and transportation. The initiative is similar to programs used in Houston and San Antonio and marks a new and innovative approach for the city of Austin, Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo said. "It’s an interdisciplinary approach to get officers on the street interacting with individuals experiencing homelessness; it’s a proactive approach," she said. "We're excited about this effort." The pilot program will consist of two teams of two police officers each and a social service worker who will serve both teams, said Commander Pat Cochran, who is overseeing the program. “In the past, the police department has dealt with the homeless in the only way the police department has, which is make a bunch of arrests, take people to jail,” Cochran said. “So we’ve thought about what can we do differently to interrupt this cycle.” According to city documents, the Austin Police Department responds to calls around the Resource Center for the Homeless as many as 21 times each day and EMS responds an average of seven times each day. By taking a proactive approach, the city could potentially save time and resources and collect more information about the homeless population to better serve them and the city in the future, Cochran said. On May 12, Austin City Council paved the way for the program by approving a contract with Capital Metro for the use of a wheelchair-accessible van, which will transport assistance and supplies to homeless individuals. The pilot program is funded through the police department and does not require additional funding at this time, but costs could increase if the program is expanded. "I think it needs to be a city-wide program as long as we have the resources to support it," Tovo said.