Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued the following statement today after a newly released federal toolkit–unveiled by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Sara Carter, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner–named the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) as a model for multidisciplinary homeless outreach efforts:
“Los Angeles County’s work to address homelessness has shown that effective solutions require collaboration, flexibility, and a willingness to recognize that people face different challenges and need different forms of support.
That is why I chose to directly fund HOST teams dedicated solely to the Fifth District, separate from the teams that serve the County at large. The results speak for themselves: in regions like the Antelope Valley, we have seen unsheltered homelessness decline, encampments cleared safely and compassionately, and individuals reunited with family members and loved ones.
I appreciate the federal toolkit’s recognition of HOST and the multidisciplinary approach it represents. It reinforces an important lesson: meaningful progress depends on strong partnerships across public safety, healthcare, housing, and human services. Los Angeles County will continue pursuing a range of evidence-based strategies that help people move toward stability and improve their quality of life.
I want to commend the LASD HOST deputies and the many outreach workers, healthcare professionals, behavioral health specialists, housing partners, and community organizations who make this work possible. Their hard work, thoughtful engagement, and commitment to collaboration demonstrate the importance of taking a systemic approach to addressing homelessness.”