There are 75,000 homeless people in Los Angeles County, a county that is the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined and has a population that is larger than 40 states.
More than 1 in 5 homeless people in the U.S. live in LA County. That’s why L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest health plan in the country serving up to 2.5 million beneficiaries, is dispatching social workers to temporary housing locations to help keep people off the streets—permanently.
It’s the first health plan engaged in this level of outreach, the plan said in a news release.
In March 2024, the health plan began sending social workers to various sites across the county. To date, the plan has visited 17 interim housing locations, with the goal of connecting social workers with people needing enhanced care management services, said Charlie Robinson, senior director of community health for L.A. Care, in an interview with Fierce Healthcare.
“It’s really important for us to make sure that our social workers are there to welcome them with open arms and make sure that they're connecting with all of the benefits that are associated with their Medi-Cal membership,” he explained.
Through Medi-Cal, the program delivers housing navigation and financial support for individuals to find a living unit. L.A. Care covers approximately 70% of people experiencing homelessness in the county, but some are not enrolled under L.A. Care.
Partnerships with L.A’s Inside Safe program, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and local governments exist to help this unhoused population access eligible services.
Robinson said the initiative has engaged 100 to 200 members and explicit referrals are on track for 200 by the end of the year, but they expect those numbers could increase beyond that as the program becomes more robust.
Their goal is to increase the percentage of L.A. Care members participating in the Inside Safe program and connected to enhanced care management services from 11% to 100%.
“Part of the reason that number is so low is it's actually quite difficult to engage people who are experiencing homelessness across such a vast geography,” he explained.
Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled an executive order allowing state agencies to remove homeless encampments.