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Hayley Munguia

Over 134,000 LA County Residents Will Receive Notices of Medical Debt Relief by Next Week as New Data Highlights Need For Continued Efforts 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Over 134,000 LA County Residents Will Receive Notices of Medical Debt Relief by Next Week as New Data Highlights Need For Continued Efforts

Supervisor Janice Hahn and Supervisor Holly Mitchell at this morning’s press conference.

More than 134,000 Los Angeles County residents will begin receiving notices next week as a part of the first wave of medical debt relief, marking a significant step in addressing the financial strain caused by medical costs. The notices, sent by LA County and national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt inform the resident that their medical debt has been permanently retired and offer helpful information for individuals who need help with additional medical bills or are seeking financial assistance.

The amount of debt being relieved through this first round of notices is $183,580,711.32.

Launched in December 2024, the Los Angeles County Medical Debt Relief Program provides immediate financial relief by purchasing and eliminating medical debt for qualifying residents. Through an initial $5 million investment approved by the LA County Board of Supervisors, the program aims to retire $500 million in medical debt for low-income residents, with plans to eliminate up to $2 billion by seeking additional contributions from philanthropic partners, hospitals, and health plans. Through this program, Undue Medical Debt acquires qualifying debts in bulk for a fraction of their face value from provider partners like hospitals and health systems along with collection agencies, meaning on average one dollar can erase $100 or more of medical debt.

“If you get a letter in the mail from LA County and Undue Medical Debt this week—open it. We’ve eliminated medical debt for more than 134,000 residents, no strings attached. This is real relief, and it’s hitting mailboxes soon,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, who authored the motion to launch the program. “This is LA County government at its best. We are seizing an opportunity and making a smart financial decision to make people’s lives better.”

“Medical debt should never stand between our residents and the care they need. This first wave of LA County’s Medical Debt Relief – over $183 million – represents more than just numbers; it’s a commitment to removing the weight of a crushing financial burden, that perpetuates health and financial disparities,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “We are committed to tackling the root causes of medical debt, so no one has to choose between seeing a doctor or putting food on the table.”

Eligible residents will receive an Undue Medical Debt and Los Angeles County branded envelope in the mail without any need to apply. The program also includes preventive measures to reduce future medical debt through improved eligibility tools for financial assistance programs and increased access to resources.

This medical debt relief is source-based, meaning only qualifying debts held by participating providers or collectors can be canceled. Relief cannot be requested. To qualify for relief, current LA County residents must be either four times (400%) or below the federal poverty level or have medical debt that totals 5% or more of their annual income.

While relief is beginning to reach many residents, new data shows that medical debt continues to impact nearly 882,000 adults in LA County—about 1 in 9 residents—underscoring the importance of ongoing efforts to support residents.

Key findings from an updated analysis include:
• Medical debt prevalence increased to 11.1% of LA County adults in 2023 from 10.0% in 2022
• Over half (51%) of adults with medical debt have taken on credit card debt to pay medical bills
• Among those with medical debt, 45% report were unable to afford basic necessities, and 72% skipped needed medical care
• Medical debt affects people across insurance statuses, with the uninsured particularly vulnerable (29.4%)
• 42% of the medical debt burden falls on adults living below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level

Significant disparities persist, with Latino/Latine, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and multiracial adults disproportionately affected by this financial burden.

“Medical debt continues to be a significant burden for too many LA County residents, with the total debt estimated at over $2.9 billion in 2023 in LA County—a staggering amount that has not decreased despite gains in insurance coverage,” said Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “While the launch of the Medical Debt Relief Program now brings relief letters to thousands of residents, we continue to work with hospitals and health care providers to improve the quality of financial assistance programs and debt collection practices so that those with limited means are not facing financial distress for seeking medical care. Thanks to the leadership of Supervisors Hahn and Mitchell and to the partnership with Undue Medical Debt, LA County is able to bring real and lasting relief to residents across the County.”

A key component of existing efforts to reduce medical debt accumulation rests in ensuring that hospitals and health care providers have robust systems in place to help those with few resources manage a chronic illness and/or medical emergency. To assist with these efforts, the LA County Board of Supervisors adopted an ordinance on September 10, 2024 requiring hospitals in unincorporated Los Angeles to report on debt and financial assistance activities. On April 29, 2025, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously advanced a motion, led by Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, to extend medical debt data collection to 34 additional hospitals within the City limits. This expansion builds upon efforts to improve the quality of financial assistance programs and debt collection practices in order to reduce medical debt by the LA County Board of Supervisors in September 2024 which apply to hospitals in unincorporated areas.

Files:
Photo 1
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Envelope
Letter

For more information about medical debt in LA County, visit http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/hccp/medicalDebt/prevent.htm

Hahn’s Water Taxi Proposal Moves Ahead with Approval of Metro Olympics Committee 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn’s Water Taxi Proposal Moves Ahead with Approval of Metro Olympics Committee

Water Taxi would operate between San Pedro and Long Beach

Los Angeles, CA – During its meeting this morning, Metro’s Ad-Hoc Committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games unanimously approved a motion by Metro Board of Directors Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn to explore the feasibility of a water taxi between San Pedro and Long Beach during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The City of Long Beach will host 11 sports during the Games — the second most of any city behind Los Angeles.

“If we are serious about people taking transit to every Olympic event, we need to get creative. The water taxi’s time has come. It would offer residents, workers, and tourists an alternative to driving and parking at the Games venues that’s not only reliable and affordable, but fun as well,” said Hahn. “It’s time to explore what it would take to get this idea off the ground and into the water.”

Hahn’s proposed water taxi will offer an innovative public transport connection for San Pedro and surrounding communities, as well as for riders along Metro’s J (Silver) Line, which runs along the El Monte Busway and Harbor Transitway from El Monte to San Pedro via Downtown Los Angeles. Olympics attendees could also park at the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena and take the J Line to San Pedro to catch the water taxi, significantly relieving traffic congestion in and around Long Beach and on the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

There is precedent for Hahn’s proposed water taxi; a water ferry service between San Pedro and Long Beach with a stop at Terminal Island existed before the construction of the Vincent Thomas Bridge. The ferry was operated by both private and municipal companies and provided transportation for workers, residents, and commuters.

The water taxi proposal has earned widespread support. Hahn’s motion was co-authored by her colleagues on the Metro Board, Mayor Karen Bass, Metro Vice Chair Fernando Dutra, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, and Director Jacquelin Dupont-Walker. During the meeting, representatives of ILWU Local 13, Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker, Long Beach Councilwoman Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Long Beach Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, the LA Maritime Institute, the Battleship Iowa, and LA Harbor Commissioner Lee Williams voiced their strong support for the proposal.

Hahn’s motion will be voted on by the full Metro Board of Directors in their monthly meeting next Thursday, May 22, 2025.

Read the full motion here: https://metro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7396091&GUID=9AA8F434-364B-4E0F-9FCE-7D44B162231E&FullText=1

L.A. County Proclaims May as Croatian American Heritage Month 150 150 Hayley Munguia

L.A. County Proclaims May as Croatian American Heritage Month

Hahn celebrates Croatian Independence Day at Croatian American Hall in San Pedro

Los Angeles, CA — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to officially proclaim May 2025 as Croatian American Heritage Month, celebrating the deep cultural roots and lasting contributions of the Croatian American community—especially in the San Pedro area.

“In my district in San Pedro, I’m proud to represent more than 30,000 residents of Croatian descent—one of the largest Croatian American populations in the nation,” said Supervisor Hahn. “Their story is one of hard work, community, and pride in their heritage, and this month is a chance to celebrate all they’ve done for Los Angeles County.”

Supervisor Hahn lives in and represents the community of San Pedro. Croatian immigrants—largely from the Dalmatian Coast—began to arrive in the area at the turn of the 20th century to work in the harbor’s fishing and canning industries. A second wave of Croatian immigrants arrived after the second world war as refugees from Yugoslavia.

Over the years, the community established cultural institutions like the Croatian American Hall and the Dalmatian American Club. Rudy Svorinich, the first Croatian American to be elected to the Los Angeles City Council, established the sister city relationship between the City of LA and the city of Split, Croatia. San Pedro and the Croatian city of Komiža became official “friendship cities” during Hahn’s time on the Los Angeles City Council. While serving in Congress, Hahn also co-chaired the Congressional Croatian Caucus.

Just last November, Supervisor Hahn traveled to Croatia with Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker to meet with former U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Nathalie Rayes and strengthen cultural and economic ties with the country. During the visit, the group signed an agreement with the Croatian Olympic Committee to host “Croatia House” in San Pedro during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This will serve as a cultural hub and gathering place for Croatian athletes, leaders, visitors, and the local community throughout the Games.

“Hosting Croatia House in San Pedro during the Olympics will be a point of pride for our community,” said Hahn. “It will bring together locals and Croatian visitors together to celebrate Croatian culture, cheer on athletes, and deepen the already strong relationship between Los Angeles and Croatia.”

May also holds special meaning as the month when Croatian Americans celebrate the independence of the Republic of Croatia. This year, the 35th Annual Croatian Independence Celebration will be held on Sunday, May 25 at the Croatian American Hall in San Pedro, featuring traditional food, music, dancing, and a full day of festivities.

Board of Supervisors Passes Hahn Motion in Response to Rising Deaths in LA County Jails 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Board of Supervisors Passes Hahn Motion in Response to Rising Deaths in LA County Jails

Los Angeles, CA — In response to a disturbing rise in in-custody deaths within the Los Angeles County jail system, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today unanimously passed a motion authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn to initiate a multi-departmental comprehensive plan to address the crisis.

The County has seen one of the deadliest starts to a year in its jail system’s recent history. In the first 20 weeks of 2025 alone, 20 incarcerated individuals have died—more than double the number of deaths during the same period last year—including three in a single day.

“Our jails are in crisis,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We have seen an alarming increase in deaths of people who are in our custody and in our care. We need to take urgent, decisive action to save lives. The aim of this motion is to make sure we understand what is driving this increase and that we address it at a systemic level.”

Deaths have continued to increase despite recent efforts to improve conditions—such as increased medical staffing, greater access to Narcan within jails, and a declining jail population.

The motion directs the Department of Health Services’ Correctional Health Services (CHS) and requests the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) to deliver a comprehensive report within 90 days that includes:
• An implementation plan with clear performance metrics to significantly reduce in-custody deaths;
• An in-depth analysis of the causes and contributing factors behind the increase in deaths, along with recommendations to prevent future loss of life;
• An assessment of how policy or budgetary decisions—such as Proposition 36 or federal cuts to health services—may affect inmate health outcomes.

Additionally, the motion directs the Auditor-Controller and CEO Risk Management, with support from CHS, LASD, and the Medical Examiner, to audit corrective action plans related to in-custody deaths from 2020 to the present and recommend further improvements.

Read full motion: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/202910.pdf

LA County Awarded $65 Million for Mental Healthcare Village at Metropolitan State Hospital 150 150 Hayley Munguia

LA County Awarded $65 Million for Mental Healthcare Village at Metropolitan State Hospital

Hahn in front of vacant buildings at the Metropolitan State Hospital which will become the LA County Care Community

Los Angeles, CA — Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is celebrating that Los Angeles County has been awarded a $65 million state grant to convert unused buildings on the Metropolitan State Hospital (MSH) campus in Norwalk into a mental healthcare village. The grant is part of $3.3 billion voter-approved Proposition 1 funds aimed at building more mental health treatment and housing across California.

“This mental healthcare village is exactly the type of facility voters were thinking of when they approved Proposition 1,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “These buildings are doing no one any good sitting empty and we have a plan to convert them into the Los Angeles County Care Community — a mental healthcare village where we can provide humane, professional treatment and housing to people who desperately need it. This funding is a huge step forward for us and I appreciate the support we have already gotten from our state partners.”

Video: Hahn at Metropolitan State Hospital

The Metropolitan State Hospital is a state-run public hospital located in the City of Norwalk specializing in psychiatric care. The 826-bed hospital is operated by the Department of State Hospitals and has an open campus within a security perimeter on 162 acres of state property.

Under the leadership of Supervisor Janice Hahn, Los Angeles County is seeking to renovate six vacant buildings on the MSH property to develop a new mental health care community that will serve adults and transitional age youth with varying mental health and housing needs.

“We are immensely appreciative of Governor Newsom’s latest announcement to support the residents of Los Angeles County with the investment in the Metro State Hospital. This investment solidifies our shared focus on behavioral health and the wellbeing of all Los Angeles County residents,” said Dr. Lisa H. Wong, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. “With Proposition 1 funding earmarked specifically for the Metro campus, we can increase our capacity to provide the highest level of mental health services and resources to the individuals in our care. This much-needed investment is an important step in providing safe spaces and vital treatment for our county’s most vulnerable populations.”

The $65 million state grant will fund the renovation of two of the six buildings which will become psychiatric subacute facilities for transitional age youth between the ages of 18 and 25. Each of the two buildings will have 16 beds for a total of 32 beds dedicated to this population. The entire care community will have 219 beds and the capacity to treat hundreds of patients every year.

Photo Files
Photo 1 Hahn
Photo 2 Drone Footage of Facility

Hahn Applauds Decision for Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to Host 2028 Olympics Opening Ceremonies 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Applauds Decision for Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to Host 2028 Olympics Opening Ceremonies

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commissioner Janice Hahn is applauding the decision that the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will host Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2028 Olympic Games. Hahn has been outspoken about the importance of the Coliseum to Los Angeles Olympic history and the need to host the Opening Ceremonies in the iconic venue and light its historic Olympic torch.

“Olympic history at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum goes back nearly 100 years—with its Olympic torch and rings, the legacy of the Olympics is literally built into the venue,” said Hahn. “The Coliseum hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in 1932 and 1984, and it is only right that this iconic venue will once again welcome the world to Los Angeles in 2028.”

Hahn Issues Statement on Selection of Chief Bill Scott to Head New Metro Transit Community Public Safety Department 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Issues Statement on Selection of Chief Bill Scott to Head New Metro Transit Community Public Safety Department

 

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Chair of the Metro Board of Directors and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn released the following statement in support of the selection of San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott to lead the forthcoming Metro Transit Community Public Safety Department:

“Chief Bill Scott’s track record speaks for itself. He leaves San Francisco with crime at its lowest level in decades, and he understands that public safety is about more than enforcement—it’s about service. He has long spoken about officers as guardians, not warriors. That philosophy is exactly what we need on our system—officers who ride with our passengers, who protect them, and who are there to help when people need it most.

As Chair of Metro, my priority is the safety of our riders and our Metro employees. The goal of this new department is to have a seamless approach to public safety, with highly trained sworn officers dedicated to Metro and visible on our buses and trains, mental health professionals responding to anyone in crisis, and compassionate homeless outreach teams who can get people who find themselves on the system the help they need. This is an ambitious undertaking and success starts with leadership.”

Chief Bill Scott’s roots as a police officer are in Los Angeles. He joined the LAPD in 1989 and spent much of his career working in South LA, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief overseeing the LAPD South Bureau.
During Hahn’s Chairship, Metro has added barriers to every bus in the fleet to better protect bus operators, is piloting weapons detection technology to keep guns and knives off the system, added lighting to stations, raised fare gates, and expanded the Tap to Exit initiative.

Supervisors Direct Probation Chief to Consider Oversight Commission’s Recommendations to Reduce Los Padrinos Population 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Supervisors Direct Probation Chief to Consider Oversight Commission’s Recommendations to Reduce Los Padrinos Population

Los Angeles, CA — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath directing Chief Probation Officer Guillermo Viera Rosa to assess recommendations by the Probation Oversight Commission to safely reduce the population of Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.

On April 18, 2025, Judge Miguel Espinoza ordered the Los Angeles County Probation Department to submit a proposal and timeline to reduce the population of Los Padrinos until the facility can come into compliance with the Board of State and Community Corrections’ regulations.

The Probation Department has made it clear that moving youth to other facilities is the primary strategy they plan to deploy to comply with the Judge’s order. However, there is an opportunity to do more. The LA County Probation Oversight Commission held a special meeting on April 24, where commissioners unanimously approved a broader set of recommendations to safely reduce the population of Los Padrinos.

“The Probation Department is going to need to move youth from Los Padrinos to other Probation facilities, but that shouldn’t be the only strategy we rely on,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Our Probation Oversight Commission has put forward thoughtful recommendations to reduce the number of young people coming into our custody and work with the Courts to identify youth who can and should be safely released with supportive programs or ankle monitors. Our Probation Department needs to consider all these strategies and if there are any they won’t pursue, they need to be transparent about why.”

The Probation Department’s depopulation plan projects that it will reduce incarceration at Los Padrinos from 278 to 175 youth, but during today’s meeting, Supervisor Hahn said she would like to see the population at Los Padrinos go down to fewer than 100.

“In the absence of a clear, transparent, and community-informed plan from our struggling Probation Department, we must rely on the leadership of the Probation Oversight Commission and the meaningful solutions they’ve developed in collaboration with County stakeholders and the public,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “None of the options before us are perfect, but doing nothing—or simply moving forward with Probation’s inadequate proposal—is unacceptable. I fear we will replicate the same failures in new locations at a time when our youth are counting on us to provide the care and rehabilitation they deserve.”

Hahn and Horvath’s motion directs Chief Probation Officer Viera Rosa to assess the Probation Oversight’s recommendations to reduce the population at Los Padrinos in compliance with Judge Espinoza’s ruling and report back to the commission in writing or verbally at the May 8, 2025 meeting on his assessment including which recommendations are currently being implemented, which can be implemented in the future, and which the Department does not plan to implement and why.

The Probation Oversight Commission’s recommendations that the Probation Department will assess are:
1. Reassessing youth who are currently detained to see if they can be returned to court for potential release with supportive services and/or ankle monitoring
2. Sending youth who have already been sentenced to their court-ordered placements within 24-48 hours
3. Slowing the influx of youth to Los Padrinos by reforming the Intake Detention and Control Division
4. Moving girls and gender-expansive youth awaiting sentencing from Los Padrinos to Dorothy Kirby Center
5. Recommitting to reducing incarceration of girls and gender-expansive youth
6. Moving lower-risk boys awaiting sentencing to Probation camp facilities
7. Evaluating the youth who are currently sentenced to the Secure Youth Treatment Facility to see if any are eligible for step down programs or the State’s Pine Grove Fire Camp

Read the details of the Probation Oversight Commission’s recommendations here: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/POC25-0062.pdf?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=

Hahn Declares May Stroke Awareness Month 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Declares May Stroke Awareness Month

Hahn announces 2 more Mobile Stroke Units will launch later this month

Supervisor Hahn gets a look inside a Mobile Stroke Unit, which operates through a partnership between LA County and UCLA.

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to declare May 2025 “Stroke Awareness Month” in LA County.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Worldwide, heart disease is the number one cause of death, with stroke following right after; and having a stroke is the top contributor to long-term disability.

“This is an issue that affects so many families, including my own,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose father suffered a stroke while he was serving on the LA County Board of Supervisors. “When it comes to a stroke, minutes matter. By proclaiming May as Stroke Awareness Month, it is my hope that we can spread the word about the signs and symptoms of a potential stroke, so that people know what to look for and respond quickly.”

Supervisor Hahn has provided and support and funding for a Mobile Stroke Unit, which is a partnership between UCLA and the County of LA. On Tuesday, she announced that this program will be expanded later this month with two more Mobile Stroke Units, for a total of three units to serve LA County.

The Mobile Stroke Unit is a specially equipped ambulance that includes a mobile CT scanner, lab tests, a telehealth connection with a vascular neurologist — everything paramedics need to diagnose and treat a stroke patient quickly, before they even get to a hospital.

“I’m endlessly grateful to Supervisor Janice Hahn and the Board of Supervisors for their leadership in recognizing May as Stroke Awareness Month and for their support in expanding our Mobile Stroke Unit program across Los Angeles County,” said Dr. May Nour, medical director of the UCLA Health Mobile Stroke Unit. “This effort has the potential to significantly improve stroke care by bringing critical emergency treatment directly to patients when minutes matter most, helping us prevent the devastating disabilities that can follow when treatment is delayed.”

“I am truly proud that out of this partnership, and through the leadership of Dr. May Nour and our first responders, the Mobile Stroke Unit has saved countless lives and significantly reduced the risk and harm of long-term disability,” Hahn said. “This is a fitting way to mark May as Stroke Awareness Month, and I am grateful to know that these additional Mobile Stroke Units will save even more lives.”

Hahn’s motion directs LA County Communications and the Departments of Public Health and Health Services to share information with the public, as well as with people who are vulnerable or at risk for a stroke, about the Mobile Stroke Unit and the signs and symptoms of a stroke.

To know if you or someone might be having a stroke, the American Stroke Association recommends using the FAST test:
• Face – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
• Arms – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech – When speaking a simple phrase, is it slurred or difficult to understand?
• Time – If experiencing any of these signs, contact 9-1-1 immediately.

Hahn Issues Statement on Impending SEIU Strike 150 150 Hayley Munguia

Hahn Issues Statement on Impending SEIU Strike

Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has issued the following statement regarding the impending two-day strike of SEIU 721 county workers:

“I think people are going to feel the impact of this strike and it will only underscore the importance of these workers. SEIU workers are nurses at our county hospitals, librarians, social workers and so many more county employees that our residents depend on every day. I hold out hope that both sides can come together so that SEIU workers can have a fair contract, even in the midst of our budget challenges.”