LOS ANGELES – L.A. Care Health Plan has kicked off a new pilot, leasing 16 beds at the National Health Foundation's (NHF) new Pico-Union Recuperative Care facility.
Recuperative care programs provide immediate housing, on-site medical supervision, case management and supportive social services for patients experiencing homelessness who are transitioning out of an acute-care hospital. With the explosion of homelessness in Los Angeles County, recuperative beds fill a gap on the journey to permanent housing for vulnerable individuals who need a safe place to heal after a hospitalization.
It is our hope that by offering these beds to a limited number of L.A. Care members, we will be able to illustrate the positive impact on health outcomes. If we can show a cost-savings through decreased readmissions, maybe the state will consider offering funding for these beds.
--John Baackes
CEO, L.A. Care
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority released a report earlier this year showing L.A. County has large gaps in nearly every housing intervention, including recuperative care.
"Our partnership with L.A. Care is truly one-of-a-kind. As the first health plan to lease our recuperative care beds, they represent a progressive organization that understands and appreciates the connection between housing and health," said Kelly Bruno, NHF President and CEO. "We are so happy for the support and for validating recuperative care in the continuum. Ultimately, it's a win-win for all; recuperative care will save taxpayer dollars, and clients are more likely to find permanent housing."
This new pilot is a continuation of a partnership between L.A. Care and NHF that goes back more than a decade. Earlier this year, L.A. Care awarded NHF a $150,000 grant to help develop the Pico-Union facility. In 2007, L.A. Care awarded a $500,000 grant to the foundation for another recuperative care infrastructure project in downtown Los Angeles.
About National Health Foundation
Founded in 1973, National Health Foundation is a nonprofit that works within under-resourced Southern California communities to eliminate barriers to health, address the root causes of poor health, and find solutions that lead to lasting change. Embracing the guiding philosophy that health begins where we live, learn, work and play, the organization’s advocacy and work focuses on four key areas: housing, food access, built environment and education. NHF is committed to changing the physical and social landscape of vulnerable neighborhoods and empowering individuals to make choices that allow them to live a long, healthy life, regardless of their income, education or ethnic background.