Los Angeles County held a “Service Connection Day” for about 100 participants of its Pathway Home program who had been evacuated from San Gabriel Valley riverbeds ahead of Tropical Storm Hilary in August and are currently staying in interim housing while awaiting placement into permanent housing.
Pathway Home is an LA County Homeless Initiative-led encampment resolution program that is a critical component of the County’s comprehensive response to the local emergency on homelessness adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2023. By leveraging emergency powers and partnerships with local jurisdictions, Pathway Home is a full-circle solution that brings people off the streets into immediately available interim housing accompanied by a comprehensive suite of supportive services and, ultimately, into safe, permanent homes.
During Service Connection Day, several County departments and other agencies gather at a Pathway Home interim housing site and essentially provide a one-stop-shop for people to access essential programs and services that they may need or want, such as physical and mental healthcare, substance use disorder treatment, benefits enrollment, life skills development, and more.
During Service Connection Day for Hilary evacuees, Pathway Home participants were able to engage with:
- LA County Department of Health Services-Housing for Health for primary, specialized and behavioral health care services, and to enroll for Social Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- LA County Department of Mental Health for support services and access to outpatient mental health treatment, including the Veterans Peer Access Network (VPAN) which helps veterans navigate often complicated systems so they can receive necessary mental health, substance abuse, employment, healthcare, education, legal, and housing services;
- LA County Department of Public Health for substance use disorder treatment
- LA County Department of Public Social Services for enrollment in General Relief, CalFresh and Medi-Cal programs as well as free tablets and cell phones.
- LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to help LA County-born Pathway Home participants access their birth certificates.
- LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs-Office of Immigrant Affairs for a variety of services for documented and undocumented immigrants.
- LA County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to assist veterans in establishing benefits on the State or federal level, including enrollment in VA healthcare.
- California Department of Motor Vehicles for no-fee ID vouchers and ID services.
- LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for free/discounted rides.