The People Concern

TO PROVIDE HOUSING, SOCIAL, AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR HOMELESS AND LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS.

THROUGH AN ARRAY OF HOUSING SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, THE PEOPLE CONCERN WORKS TO PERMANENTLY HOUSE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.INTERIM HOUSING: SUPPORTS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. THEY BENEFIT FROM A VARIETY OF BASIC LIVING SERVICES AND HAVE ACCESS TO ON-SITE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, WELLNESS ACTIVITIES, CASE MANAGEMENT AND HOUSING COORDINATION/NAVIGATION SERVICES. OUR MULTIDISCIPLINARY STAFF WORK ALONGSIDE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO DEVELOP INDIVIDUALIZED HOUSING GOAL PLANS AND SUPPORT THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY TO FINDING AND RETAINING PERMANENT HOUSING. HOUSING COORDINATION: IN ADDITION TO INCOME AND BENEFITS ASSISTANCE, APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETED FOR THE BEST-FIT HOUSING OR OTHER OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF VOUCHER ASSISTANCE ARE IDENTIFIED. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE SUPPORT WITH UNDERSTANDING THE NUANCES OF A LEASE, SECURING UTILITIES, BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR, PROPER CARE OF THEIR LIVING SPACE, REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE SERVICES WHEN NEEDED, AND MORE.HOUSING NAVIGATION: STAFF ASSIST PARTICIPANTS WITH LOCATING AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING AND ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDLORDS/AGENCIES WILLING TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING. PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PSH: ADHERING TO THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL, OUR EXTENSIVE PERMANENT HOUSING SERVICES DEPARTMENT WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH CASE MANAGERS AND HOUSING NAVIGATORS TO MATCH PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WITH BEST-FIT HOUSING THAT WILL MEET THEIR NEEDS. PSH IS OFTEN THE BEST-FIT OPTION FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH CO-OCCURRING CONDITIONS AND REQUIRE ON-GOING, INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING LIES AT THE HEART OF THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, AND PAIRING HOUSING WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN ENDING HOMELESSNESS FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE; 93% OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE IN PSH NEVER EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS AGAIN.

OUTREACH PROVIDES US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN NEED WHERE THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN TURF, ON THEIR OWN TERMS. OUR TEAMS WORK DILIGENTLY TO BUILD TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PERMANENT HOUSING. OUTREACH TEAMS BRING MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SERVICES TO ENGAGE THOSE LIVING ON THE STREETS. MOBILE OUTREACH GOALS INCLUDE LINKING PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, BENEFITS ASSISTANCE AND PLACEMENT IN INTERIM AND PERMANENT HOUSING. IN ADDITION TO OUTREACH, OUR ACCESS CENTER IN SANTA MONICA PROVIDES A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND OFFERS MEALS, WELLNESS ACTIVITIES, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND ACCESS TO SHOWERS, LAUNDRY AND LOCKERS. ANY INDIVIDUAL CAN RECEIVE CARE FROM US AT THIS FACILITY, AND IT ACTS AS THE HUB OF THE MEDICAL SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR PARTICIPANTS ON LOS ANGELES' WESTSIDE. THE ACCESS CENTER TYPICALLY SERVES 200-250 PEOPLE/DAY THOUGH DURING THE PANDEMIC, THOSE NUMBERS HAVE DOUBLED ON OCCASION. OPERATION HEALTHY STREETS IS THE PEOPLE CONCERN'S SHOWER AND LAUNDRY FACILITY; IT WAS THE ONLY PROGRAM OPEN 24/7 AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC PROVIDING HYGIENE SERVICES IN SKID ROW. NEXT DOOR, THE MOLLIE LOWERY AND FRANK RICE CENTER OFFERS RESOURCES AND STABILITY TO INDIVIDUALS CONNECTED TO OUR C3 (CITY, COUNTY AND COMMUNITY) SKID ROW OUTREACH TEAM.

RECOGNIZING THE LINK BETWEEN HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL ILLNESS, THE PEOPLE CONCERN INTEGRATES MENTAL HEALTH CARE THROUGHOUT OUR PROGRAMS FROM OUTREACH TO HOUSING. CLINICIANS AND THERAPISTS OFFER BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP THERAPY SESSIONS TO HELP PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS MANAGE THEIR SYMPTOMS AND LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES. ADDITIONALLY, ALL STAFF RECEIVE TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE TRAINING, REGARDLESS OF PROGRAM OR CLINICAL DESIGNATION. IN ADDITION TO FIELD-BASED MENTAL HEALTH CARE, PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS CAN ALSO RECEIVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES AT THE PEOPLE CONCERN'S WELLNESS CENTER, A MEDI-CAL CERTIFIED OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH CENTER IN SKID ROW OFFERING COUNSELING, PSYCHIATRY, SUPPORT GROUPS AND MORE. DURING THE PANDEMIC, TELEHEALTH WAS USED TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO PARTICIPANTS.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES: SINCE 1977, THE PEOPLE CONCERN'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM HAS BEEN MEETING THE EMERGENCY AND LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS EACH YEAR. SOJOURN'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE, WITHOUT PREJUDICE, SHELTER AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO ADULT AND CHILD VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PREVENT VIOLENCE THROUGH NON-DOMINANT CHILD-REARING AND THE RE-ENVISIONING OF GENDER STEREOTYPES USING A PHILOSOPHY OF NONVIOLENCE AND INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT, AND WORK TOWARD ADVANCING SOCIAL JUSTICE, LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. THROUGH SHELTER, SUPPORT GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, HOTLINE CALLS, CHILDREN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMING, LEGAL SERVICES AND SERVICE REFERRALS, SOJOURN BRINGS SAFETY, CONNECTION AND HOPE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. SOJOURN ALSO WORKS TO EDUCATE THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND ADVANCE PUBLIC POLICY THAT AFFIRMS THE RIGHTS OF OPPRESSED POPULATIONS. THE WELLNESS PROGRAM PROVIDES OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WITH PSYCHOSOCIAL AND LIFE SKILLS INTERVENTIONS TO INCREASE THEIR RESILIENCY, IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND INCREASE THEIR SELF-SUFFICIENCY. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A WIDE RANGE OF GROUPS AND CLASSES, RANGING FROM COPING SKILLS AND HARM REDUCTION TO MONEY MANAGEMENT AND NUTRITION EDUCATION, AMONG OTHER SKILL-BASED WORKSHOPS. THE PEOPLE CONCERN IS ALSO HOME TO THE SKID ROW COMMUNITY CREATIVE ARTS PROGRAM, STUDIO 526. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT PILLAR THAT SUPPORTS OUR PARTICIPANTS AS THEY MOVE ON TO SELF-SUFFICIENT, HEALTHY, AND SATISFYING LIVES IN THEIR OWN HOMES. WE MEASURE SUCCESS BY HELPING OUR PARTICIPANTS IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING AND BY HELPING THEM TRANSITION TO PERMANENT HOUSING. WE ALSO OPERATE A WELLNESS CENTER IN SKID ROW, OFFERING A RANGE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES, INCREASING OUR OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE THOSE LEAST LIKELY TO USE SERVICES.