More healthcare services will soon be available to Los Angeles County’s homeless population thanks to a new $90 million project. Officials unveiled the initiative on Wednesday. It is a joint effort between Health Net, a private healthcare provider, and L.A. Care Health Plan, a governmental organization that offers health insurance to low-income people. The project intends to create a network of clinics and street physicians to offer tens of thousands of Los Angeles residents who are homeless regular access to healthcare.
“The goal is for homeless residents to see primary care physicians long term, rather than sporadically through visits from resource-strapped street medicine teams that struggle to make follow-up appointments or ensure patients receive their prescriptions,” said Dr. Sameer Amin, Chief Medical Officer of L.A. Care Health Plan.
According to a government count conducted in 2023, Los Angeles County is home to almost 10 million individuals and accounts for over 10% of the country’s homeless population. Over 45,000 people, many of whom suffer from mental health disorders or substance addiction, live in encampments in Los Angeles alone. Drug overdose deaths, especially those using fentanyl, have increased as a result of these circumstances.
A recent study found that the homeless population in Los Angeles dropped slightly in the last year by 0.3%. As of now, approximately 1 in 5 homeless Americans reside in Los Angeles or the surrounding areas.
The state’s Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program, a $1 billion fund established to tackle homelessness throughout California, will provide $90 million to support the project. Governor Gavin Newsom expressed concern with cities’ and counties’ suggested strategies to minimize homelessness in 2022 and threatened to withdraw this cash from them. L.A. Care Health Plan will provide 70% of the money for the new project.
Sixty million of the ninety dollars will be used to extend the field medicine program across the county, offering medical care to those residing in shelters, encampments, or temporary homes. The remaining $30 million will go toward building a new health campus, which is anticipated to open in 2025, and improving health services on Skid Row, a downtown Los Angeles neighborhood notorious for its sizeable homeless encamped.
“We’re putting up extended hours for specialty care, extended hours for more urgent services,” said Amin, noting the importance of making healthcare more accessible. A group from Wesley Health Center drove around Skid Row on Tuesday, providing mental health services, HIV and STD testing, and recommendations for other treatments, including dentistry and optical care. “Our teams can visit 50–100 patients in a single day,” according to Marie McAfee, director of operations at Wesley Health.
These mobile services give people much-needed access to healthcare. “This is Skid Row, and we need help. We need all the help we can get,” said Norma Terrazas, a 46-year-old resident who recently had her blood pressure checked at one of these mobile clinics. “They make sure that our health is OK, our bodies are strong, and that we can withstand anything right now.”
The initiative also aims to remove transportation barriers that prevent many from accessing healthcare. Plans include free shuttles to transport patients to various facilities. “I’m excited about the possibility of more cardiology, orthopedic, and other specialty care for people in Skid Row,” said Martha Santana-Chin of Health Net.
Program administrators anticipate helping up to 85,000 homeless individuals in Los Angeles County. In a city where the homeless population almost equals that of Palm Springs, the increased services are intended to give comprehensive medical treatment and support those who are most in need.
