header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 28
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


Los Angeles County has opened 250 additional recuperative care beds this year, bringing the total to 432, a major milestone in the Measure H-funded Homeless Initiative.

The intiative’s goals include ending homelessness for tens of thousands of chronically homeless individuals and families, improving health outcomes, and reducing utilization of hospital emergency services.

The positive impact can be seen at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medical Campus in South L.A. and other locations across the County where clients can convalesce after a hospital stay and get linked to social support services to forge new lives off the streets.

The MLK campus houses one of 12 recuperative care sites, run with a variety of partners, that provide transitional ‘respite’ care for homeless patients with complex health and behavioral health conditions who are discharged by County-run and private hospitals or exiting custody facilities. Oversight is handled by Housing for Health, a unit founded in 2012 within the County Department of Health Services.

The 100-bed MLK Recuperative Care Center, opened in January 2016, takes in about 600 homeless patients a year, reducing the costly overutilization of public hospitals, jails and first responders.

“The MLK Recuperative Care Center provides homeless patients with a place to heal and a path to recovery,” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said. “In addition to temporary housing, they receive round-the-clock care, including nursing, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatments, life skills classes, and other services to help them achieve stability and transition into permanent supportive housing.”

Other recuperative sites are in Metro and South Los Angeles, Long Beach, Sylmar and Bell. Provider partners include LAMP, JWCH, HealthRight 360, Christ-Centered Ministries and Serenity Recuperative Care. Clients stay four to 10 weeks on average.

The network is an essential linchpin in the care continuum to stabilize, support, and link clients to permanent supportive housing to break the cycle of long-term homelessness.

This short video goes inside one of the centers and introduces several clients who have benefitted from recuperative care and moved on to permanent housing with supportive services: https://vimeo.com/245765944.

Recuperative care facilities provide short-term medical care with case management to homeless individuals recovering from an acute illness or injury who no longer require hospitalization. They fill a critical gap between acute care and skilled nursing facilities by providing basic and imperative healthcare services like dressing changes and wound care — at a fraction of the cost of an acute care hospital bed.

homeless man in Santa Clarita

Over the next 10 years, Measure H will bring more than $3 billion for homeless programs that include wrap-around supportive services for those living in independent housing, rental subsidies, street engagement teams, case management and homeless prevention efforts. Recuperative care is funded through several sources, including Measure H, which has funded the addition of 250 new beds this year.

L.A. County Health Agency director Mitchell Katz, M.D., says a step-down recuperative unit helps relieve a bottleneck that has plagued the County-run health system for years.

“Our hospitals are often hamstrung with no place to discharge homeless patients, necessitating that we hold up a bed for days when other patients truly need them,” Katz said. “Recuperative care improves outcomes, reduces emergency room utilization, and creates health system savings that more than offset by the costs of adding recuperative beds.”

A RAND Corporation three-year study found that Housing for Health initiatives, including recuperative care, saved taxpayers thousands of dollars by reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits. Clients improved their mental health, and 96 percent remained in housing for more than a year, the study found.

As clients recover in recuperative care settings, case workers engage and link clients to transitional ‘bridge’ or permanent housing with supportive medical, substance abuse and behavioral health services that keep clients housed and medically managed.

Phil Ansell, director of the County’s Homeless Initiative, states “Recuperative care is a key area for allocation of Measure H funds. In partnership with nonprofits, business, faith and community leaders, the County will end homelessness for 45,000 families and individuals within five years, and through prevention strategies, to keep another 30,000 families and individuals housed who would otherwise have become homeless. “

About the L.A. County Department of Health Services

The Department of Health Services is an integrated health system dedicated to providing high-quality, patient-centered care. Through academic affiliations with the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles, DHS hospitals are training sites for resident physicians completing their graduate medical education in nearly every specialty and subspecialty. With the Departments of Mental Health and Public Health, DHS is part of the Los Angeles County Health Agency, which is focused on health initiatives that include development of housing and supportive services for the homeless, substance use disorder treatment, diversion of corrections populations, and reduction of hospital emergency department overcrowding, among other priorities. For more information on DHS programs and services, visit www.dhs.lacounty.gov.

About the L.A. County Homeless Initiative
Los Angeles County’s Homeless Initiative is a broad-based action plan with 51 interconnected strategies developed to combat and prevent homelessness. The plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2016 following an extensive public engagement process and represents the collaboration of the County with civic, community, municipal, business and faith-based organizations across the region in confronting this shared humanitarian crisis. The Homeless Initiative provides oversight and hands-on guidance to deploy the infusion of voter-generated Measure H funds for services and programs with rigorous accountability, and maximize the alignment and effectiveness of this unprecedented commitment. For more information, visit http://homeless.lacounty.gov/.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

1 Comment

  1. Well done, and intelligent.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDEC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
The first Music Jam Session at The MAIN was held on Thursday, Feb. 22 and was a hit. Come out and join in for the next one on Thursday, March 28 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
March 28: The MAIN to Host Musicians’ Jam Session
Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman of the Office of Inspector General has issued a report entitled "Tenth Report Back on Implementing Body-Worn Cameras in Los Angeles County."
Office of Inspector General Issues Latest Report on LASD Body Cams
College of the Canyons women's tennis played to a convincing 7-2 conference win over Ventura College on Moica to strengthen its potential playoff resume.
Canyons Closes Out Ventura 7-2 in Final Home Match
Join the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce with the Latino Business Alliance at the Cinco de Mayo Networking Celebration on Tuesday, May 7.
May 7: Latino Business Alliance Cinco de Mayo Celebration
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is hosting March Meowness promotion where all cat adoptions are just $15 from now until April 9.
Adopt a Cat During March Meowness at Castaic Animal Center
California State University, Northridge is partnering with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and the Tataviam Land Conservancy to battle the impact of climate change in disadvantaged communities throughout the San Fernando Valley by establishing “urban forests.”
CSUN Partners with Fernandeño Tataviam Band to Build Urban Forests
Join the Santa Clarita Artists Association on Monday, April 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, 23630 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, CA 91355, for the SCAA monthly meeting and guest demonstrator.
April 15: SCAA Presents Debbie Abshear Watercolor Demo
Residents are invited to join members of the Santa Clarita City Council for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the addition of Santa Clarita's 38th park, Skyline Ranch Park, 18355 Skyline Ranch Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91351, to the Santa Clarita parks system on Saturday, April 6, at 10 a.m.
April 6: Grand Opening for Santa Clarita’s 38th Park
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center is preparing for the annual fundraising event, Celebrity Waiter, with the theme “California Dreamin’” on Saturday, April 27 at Bella Vida, 27180 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91351.
Table Sponsorships Still Available for Celebrity Waiter Dinner
Springtime in Santa Clarita brings not only vibrant blooms and opportunities to embrace the outdoors with warmer weather, but also an array of free, family-friendly events and this Saturday is no exception.
Ken Striplin | A Fun, Festive, Egg-Filled Day
SCVNews.com