Los Angeles County

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, there are 75,312 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County, 24% of whom self-report having a mental illness. The number of older adults ages 55 and older has grown faster than other homeless populations and, in 2024, increased by 6.5%, resulting in older adults currently making up approximately 25% of the County homeless population.

Los Angeles County has faced unique challenges in addressing the needs of its population of adults and older adults who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, especially with regard to those who have complex vulnerabilities including serious mental illness (SMI). Accordingly, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) has implemented a wide array of homelessness services and housing resources to assist individuals transitioning from homelessness into housing. This has included permanent housing through the Enriched Residential Care (ERC) program, which provides subsidies for those living in licensed residential care facilities who receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP). Approximately 25% of DMH clients served through the ERC program are age 60 and older.

Through additional funding from the Community Care Expansion (CCE) Preservation program, operated by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), DMH has been able to make even further strides in preserving licensed residential care housing options that have the care and supportive services necessary for vulnerable populations, especially older adults and individuals living with SMI.

Integration with Existing Programs

The CCE Preservation program is integrated with DMH’s existing housing resources and accessed by DMH’s existing homeless service teams to enhance the housing stability of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

These DMH programs include:

• DMH Enriched Residential Care (ERC) Program: Provides subsidies for licensed residential care facilities to provide for the care and supervision needs of individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness who are living with a SMI including those with co-occurring substance use disorders or medically complex issues.
• Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement (HOME): Teams provide intensive field-based outreach and treatment to individuals with SMI who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
• Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program: Teams serve individuals engaged in the CARE Court program living with untreated psychotic spectrum disorders such as schizophrenia.
• Full-Service Partnership (FSP) Program: Offers field-based specialty mental health services for individuals living with SMI including individual and group therapy, medication management and 24/7 crisis response as well as assistance with obtaining housing and employment. Approximately 50% of Adult FSP clients were experiencing homelessness at enrollment.

DMH partners with the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) to oversee the CCE Preservation-Capital Projects (CP). CCE funding is supplemented by Mental Health Services Act resources to maximize impact for CCE Preservation (CP). CCE-Operating Subsidy Payments (OSP) is operated under the DMH ERC program and is administered by DMH’s fiscal intermediary, Brilliant Corners.

Long-Term Impacts

The long-term effects of CCE Preservation funding on Los Angeles County’s care continuum are:

• Preservation of Essential Facilities: By providing resources for critical repairs and implementing the required deed restriction that ensures the awarded properties continue to operate as licensed residential care facilities for the target population for at least five years, the CCE Preservation program ensures the sustainability of facilities that might otherwise have closed due to financial strain.
• Improved Quality of Life: Upgrades to cooling systems, building structures, and accessibility will enhance living conditions for residents and the working environment for staff.
• Reduction in Homelessness: Preventing the closure of these licensed residential care facilities will directly reduce the number of individuals at risk of homelessness, improving overall community health.
• Continuous Support for Residents: By maintaining a stable network of licensed residential care facilities and providing ongoing mental health services through DMH’s outpatient programs, the CCE Preservation Program eliminates gaps in the care continuum and empowers vulnerable populations to obtain stable housing that creates opportunities to attain their well-being and recovery goals.

The CCE Preservation program has been instrumental in ensuring that licensed adult and senior residential care facilities remain a robust option within Los Angeles County’s housing and care continuum. These facilities offer a stable foundation and supportive environment for some of the most vulnerable individuals with SMI that are living in the community as well as an alternative to incarceration, hospitalization, homelessness and institutionalization. Find out more about Los Angeles County’s implementation of the CCE Preservation program at https://www.ccecp.org/.