Los Angeles, CA– Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has released the following statement applauding investments included in the LA County’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 Recommended Budget which was advanced today by the Board of Supervisors:
“Four years ago, I made the decision to vote against a recommended budget because I did not think it met the moment. Today, I voted to advance a $45.4 billion budget that takes head-on the most serious crises we face: mental health and homelessness.
With 452 new positions in the Department of Mental Health, this budget includes the single biggest investment in our mental healthcare system since I joined the board eight years ago. It means we will be able to speed up response times to mental health crises calls, send more mental health experts into the field to work directly with people struggling on our streets and bring them inside, and perhaps most importantly, it will allow us to create more permanent supportive housing so that we can get people the treatment and support they need to stay housed.
At the same time, we are shifting our approach to the homelessness crisis by doubling down on the most effective strategies– like our Pathway Home operations where we master-lease local motels and bring entire encampment communities inside at once. These operations take time and planning, but they are the most successful approach I have seen yet.”