Special Initiatives
The Capital Improvement Intermediary Program (CIIP) manages the pre-development, design and construction of facilities that expand housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. Housing for Health works closely with its nonprofit partner, Brilliant Corners, and various sponsors to create exceptional interim and permanent supportive housing.
Our housing is designed with the social and emotional needs of residents in mind and includes spaces for community gatherings and specialized services such as health screenings and intensive case management. Project types include historical renovations, motel conversions, repurposing buildings for new use and ground-up construction.
- 1,318 units created to date; another 534 units are in the pipeline
- An additional 248 beds added through projects completed since early 2022
- Developed three Recuperative Care Centers on DHS LA County Medical Center Campuses, which added beds for 194 unhoused people with complex health care needs
In partnership with the L.A. County Department of Public Health, Department of Mental Health, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and Chief Executive Office, Housing for Health developed the Countywide COVID-19 response for people experiencing homelessness, including:
- COVID Response Teams (CRTs) delivered infection control education, technical assistance, supplies, and testing to the sheltered and unsheltered homeless population.
- Medical shelters provided care to unhoused individuals who either tested positive for COVID or displayed symptoms and could not safely isolate or quarantine.
- Administered of COVID vaccines to the County’s homeless population.
Some programmatic highlights:
- 73% vaccination rate among unhoused people
- 44,497 total COVID vaccines administered
- 230 Peer Ambassadors recruited from the local community to bolster vaccine effort
- 278,983 COVID tests performed
- 10,000+ individuals received medical services across thirteen Quarantine and Isolation Facilities (QI)
- More than 2.5 million meals distributed
- Distributed 3,425 units of Naloxone
The Homelessness Prevention Unit (HPU) is a proactive, data-driven prevention program launched in January 2021 to identify County residents who are at high risk of becoming homeless and support them in stabilizing in their housing and improving their overall health. HPU staff work with clients for 4-6 months, providing them with flexible financial assistance, including rental assistance, utility assistance, vehicle repair and debt resolution, as well as linkages to County services such as health and mental health services, substance use treatment, employment/education support, benefits advocacy, and legal services.
Between January and July 2022:
- 100 HPU clients served
- 93% of clients retrained housing
- On average, $3,304 in rental assistance provided to clients
Program Description
Housing for Health’s Housing Stabilization Team began in July 2021 to outreach proactively to individuals utilizing County systems who may need short-term financial assistance to remain in stable housing. The Housing Stabilization Team is identifying participants who have recently received services in LA County and works with them to identify opportunities for enhanced linkages to community partners and supportive services. The Team is providing flexible financial assistance to assist participants in resolving financial barriers that put them at risk of losing their housing.
Because the Housing Stabilization Team is identifying and assisting clients using a data-driven approach, the Team is not actively accepting outside referrals. Eligible participants for the program will be identified and contacted by the Team and enrolled in the program after contact.
Housing Stabilization Team Members
- Associate Director
- Program Managers
- Community Health Workers
- Medical Case Workers
Services
- Financial Assistance
- Housing Retention Support
- Mental Health and Healthcare Linkages
- Substance Use Treatment Linkages
- Employment / Education Support
- Benefits Advocacy
- Legal Services Linkages
The Hospice program is a pilot project, funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and administered through Brilliant Corners to provide care for unhoused individuals who need care in a supportive environment at the end of life. Four recuperative care centers (RCCs) each have two designated hospice beds and partner with three hospice agencies to help individuals experiencing homelessness transition to death with comfort and dignity. End of life services are linked to people experiencing homelessness in Project Homekey, Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), and hospital settings.
In January 2017, Housing for Health opened the Dr. David L. Murphy Sobering Center, which is operated by Exodus Recovery, Inc. The site provides a welcoming, safe and secure environment for short term (under 24 hours) monitoring and management of persons under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and provides an alternative to jail and hospital emergency departments. The sobering center operates 24/7, giving those struggling with intoxication the opportunity to sober up and be linked to services that might help address their alcohol and drug issues, and other needs.
- The 50-bed facility allows police and fire departments, outreach and engagement teams and downtown partners to divert people under the influence of alcohol or drugs who may have otherwise been taken to an emergency department or jail.
- The site is a monitored recovery milieu with nursing observation/care, resting beds/pods, showers, light snacks, hydration, and laundry facilities.
- Social services and linkages to community resources are provided including detox, residential rehabilitation, sober living, crisis and interim housing, and primary and mental health care.
- The program is fully integrated with the Health Services Electronic Medical Records system enabling continuity of care.
