The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion Tuesday to reform and better integrate mental health care within the county’s homeless services system, with a focus on expanding field-based care for people with serious mental illness.
The motion by Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Kathryn Barger addresses the nearly 16,000 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County who are living with serious mental illness, many of whom are unsheltered.
“For too long, people living on our streets with serious mental illness have been failed by disconnected systems that expect them to find their way to care — instead of meeting them where they are,” Horvath said.
“For too many people living on our streets, untreated mental health conditions are the root cause keeping them there,” Barger said. “Mental health care shouldn’t come after housing. In many cases, it’s what makes housing possible in the first place.”
The motion includes directives aimed at transforming mental health care delivery to people experiencing homelessness. Key provisions include expanding street-based mental health services to reach people on sidewalks, in encampments and in shelters; breaking down silos between county departments; streamlining referral pathways; improving training and support for staff; enhancing data sharing among departments and service providers; and strengthening accountability.
The motion requires ongoing reporting to the board on implementation progress, including updates within 90 days and regular reporting thereafter. This is part of Horvath’s vision for a more coordinated homeless services system, now led by the Department of Homeless Services and Housing.
Edited by SMDP Staff