Interim Housing Operating Costs for Community-Based Sites

HEALTH SERVICES

County Spending Category
1.1 Housing for People Experiencing Homelessness
Federal Expenditure Category
Long-term Housing Security: Services for Unhoused Persons
Project Launch Date
01/01/2022
Anticipated End Date
08/31/2022
Interpretation Languages
  • Spanish
  • Mandarin
Written Languages
  • Spanish

Project Contacts

Indicators & Metrics to Date

  • Number of Households Receiving Eviction Prevention Services (Including Legal Representation)
    0
  • Number of Affordable Housing Units Preserved or Developed
    0
  • Number of referrals to the community-based sites.
    0
  • Number of intakes and assessments completed by homeless services provider staff at the community-based sites.
    0
  • Number of participants linked to medical, behavioral, and/or substance use care while enrolled in community-based sites project.
    0
  • Participants placed in permanent housing.
    0
  • Participant connected to itensive case management services.
    0

Target Populations

  • People Experiencing Homelessness
  • People with Disabilities
  • Systems Impacted Individuals
  • Systems Involved Individuals
  • Individuals Experiencing Mental Health Disorders
  • Individuals Experiencing Substance Use Disorders

Project Description

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the homelessness crises across the country as community members faced increased rates of unemployment and evictions during the resulting economic downturn. Additionally, data has also shown that the majority of people experiencing homelessness (PEH) face significant challenges with their health and mental health; more than 80% of PEH have some physical health problem, and more than 70% have some mental health problem. Further, the closure of public facilities such as libraries and social services offices had adverse impacts on people already experiencing homelessness as needed services like food programs and interim shelters were no longer accessible. Thus, the need for interim housing and supportive services has become a great necessity in addressing the ongoing homelessness crisis in Los Angeles County, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Health Services (DHS) Housing for Health (HFH) Interim Housing Program (IHP) provides temporary short-term shelter to persons experiencing homelessness who have complex health, behavioral and/or substance abuse issues. This population of PEH was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. The Interim Housing Operating Costs for Community-Based Sites is an intervention that provides PEH with temporary housing that addresses their immediate need for shelter and provides linkages to permanent housing resources as well as supportive and/or social services through care coordination and case management. This project allows DHS to preserve 261 interim housing beds across the county that would otherwise close due to lack of sustainable funding. These sites feature interim housing beds that provide safe spaces for the county’s most vulnerable individuals. In these settings, participants can focus on long-term housing goals and accessing other needed resources, many of whom are post-hospitalization and require additional time to recover post-discharge. The Interim Housing Program targets high-utilizers of county services and removes barriers that PEH often face in trying to get connected to medical and behavioral health, substance use treatment and permanent housing opportunities.

Goals & Objectives

Goal Description By August 2022, provide 391 medically vulnerable people experiencing homelessness access to interim housing across 10 community-based sites, and provide linkages to supportive services as neccesary to facilitate their transition to permanent housing.

Objective Description By August 2022, connect 391 medically vulnerable people experiencing homelessness to interim housing beds and provide supportive services as determined.

Activity Description Receive and review incoming referral for program eligibility, and enroll eligible persons.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Number of referrals to the community-based sites.
1 Service Delivery Number of intakes and assessments completed by homeless services provider staff at the community-based sites. 391.00

Activity Description Connect medically vulnerable participants to supportive services based on need.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Number of intakes and assessments completed by homeless services provider staff at the community-based sites. 391.00
1 Service Delivery Number of participants linked to medical, behavioral, and/or substance use care while enrolled in community-based sites project. 391.00

Objective Description By August 2022, 35% of medically vulnerable project participants will be connected to a permanent housing resource during the project operation period.

Activity Description Link medically vulnerable participants to permanent housing resources.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Participants placed in permanent housing. 135.00
1 Service Delivery Participant connected to itensive case management services. 80.00

Outcome Description Improve the housing security and stability of medically vulnerable program participants by assisting them in obtaining permanent housing.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Participants placed in permanent housing. 135.00

Outcome Description Improve the overall health of the newly housed participants.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Number of participants linked to medical, behavioral, and/or substance use care while enrolled in community-based sites project. 391.00

Outcome Description Reduce lifetime imprisonment rates of the newly housed participants.
Indicators
# Type Name Baseline Target
1 Service Delivery Participants placed in permanent housing. 135.00
1 Service Delivery Number of participants linked to medical, behavioral, and/or substance use care while enrolled in community-based sites project. 391.00