January 1, 1970

Supervisor Hahn Statement on FY 2019-2020 Recommended LA County Budget

Posted by April 16, 2019 10:47 AM

Supervisor Hahn Statement on FY 2019-2020 Recommended LA County Budget

Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn released the following statement regarding the recommended Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Los Angeles County Budget.

“A budget is more than a planning document—it is a statement of our values and a demonstration of our priorities. This year’s budget is a progressive one that not only upholds our most basic responsibilities as a County, but takes on some of the most pressing problems we face in Southern California.


This is a budget that invests in mental health. We are dedicating resources to the District Attorney’s new Mental Health Division to expand alternative sentencing and keep individuals with serious mental illness out of jail and into treatment. We are being proactive in preventing school shootings by intervening at the first sign of trouble by expanding the School Threat Assessment Response Team (START). We are recognizing that jail and effective mental health care do not mix—and we are moving forward with our bold plan to replace the decrepit Men’s Central Jail with a Mental Health Treatment Center.


This is a budget that will allow us to do more to address homelessness and the growing affordability crisis. I am grateful that more sales tax revenue means we will have more Measure H dollars to dedicate to services to lift individuals out of homelessness and to invest in preventative programs to stem the flow of families driven into homelessness by rising rents.
This is a budget that invests in transparency and sets aside nearly $20 million for the Sheriff’s Department to implement a long-overdue system of body-worn cameras.


This is a budget that invests in innovative ways to help our most vulnerable. This year, we are expanding LA Found, the groundbreaking trackable bracelet program that has already rescued four individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and cognitive disabilities who have wandered and gone missing.”


Budget Highlights:


DA’s New Mental Health Division—This budget includes $1 million and four positions to enable the District Attorney’s new Mental Health Division which will expand alternative sentencing and better enable the DA to divert individuals with serious mental illness intro treatment.
School Threat Assessment Response Team (START)—Adds $4 million to expand START from a staff of 10 to a staff of 37 trained mental health professionals who can respond to calls from any school in Los Angeles County regarding a student who has made a threat of violence. After the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, Supervisor Hahn called for the START program to be expanded.
Mental Health Treatment Center – The budget for Capital Projects includes the large-scale project to knock down the decrepit Men’s Central Jail and replace it with a Mental Health Treatment Center proposed by Supervisor Janice Hahn which will be run by the Department of Mental Health, not the Sheriff’s Department.
Measure H— The budget includes $424 million in Measure H funds to provide services to prevent homelessness and lift individuals out of homelessness. Supervisor Hahn co-authored the motion to put Measure H on the ballot.
Rent Stabilization – The budget provides $1.8 million and 12 positions for the Rent Stabilization Program now in effect in unincorporated areas.
Body-Worn Cameras—The budget includes $19.4 million for the potential implementation of body-worn cameras by the Sheriff’s Department.
LA Found—The budget includes $517,000 to purchase more Project Lifesaver trackable bracelets and fund new staffing positions.

Do you live in the 4th District?

Skip to content