News release
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement 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 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,” said the statement from Barger, whose district includes the Santa Clarita Valley. “That is why I chose to directly fund HOST teams dedicated solely to the 5th 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.”
Barger added: “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.”
