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Whole Person Care Policy Briefs

Community Engagement and Research Program (CERP)

Whole Person Care-Los Angeles Policy Briefs

	Los Angeles County Homeless Care Support Services (HCSS) and Tenancy Support Services (TSS) Reduce Acute Medical Care Use and Increase Primary Care Use The Whole Person Care-Los Angeles permanent supportive housing program, in conjunction with Homeless Care Support Services (HCSS) and Tenancy Support Services (TSS), places high acuity homeless patients into sustainable, long-term housing. Since the Whole Person Care program began supporting permanent supportive housing in 2017, there has been an 11% decrease in inpatient hospitalizations, 7% decrease in ER visits, and 8% increase in primary care usage.
	Whole Person Care-Los Angeles Increases Primary Care for Adults with a Substance Use Disorder Through the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LAC-DHS), Whole Person Care-Los Angeles (WPC) operates the Substance Use Disorder Engagement, Navigation, and Support (SUD-ENS) program. The SUD-ENS program helps patients with an active substance use disorder navigate substance use resources and social services. Since the SUD-ENS program began in 2017, there has been a seven percent increase in primary care use, six percent reduction in medical inpatient admissions, and four percent reduction in emergency department visits.
	Whole Person Care-Los Angeles (WPC-LA) Administers the Kin Through Peer (KTP) Program The KTP program connects patients with serious mental illness to long-term social support from a peer community health worker who serves as a surrogate "kin." Since the KTP program began, there has been a 17% percent reduction in psychiatric inpatient admissions, an 11% reduction in medical inpatient admissions, and a 16% reduction in emergency department visits.
	Transitions of Care Program Reduces Emergency Department and Inpatient Admissions for Medically High-Risk Individuals in Los Angeles County As part of the Transitions of Care Program within Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Whole Person Care Program, CHWs engage patients in the hospital-to-home transition and link them to primary care, behavioral health, and social services through a 30-day intensive care management system which has led to a reduction in high-cost emergency department visits and inpatient admissions, and an increase primary care visits.
	Los Angeles County Recuperative Care Program Reduces Emergency Department and Inpatient Admissions for Adults Experiencing Homelessness Partnering with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, CERP researchers conducted an evaluation of the Whole Person Care-Los Angeles Recuperative Care Program. The Recuperative Care program transitions patients experiencing homelessness from hospitals to interim supportive housing with medical, behavioral, and social services. Since the Whole Person Care program began supporting Recuperative Care in 2017, there has been a 20% reduction in inpatient admissions, 7% reduction in emergency department visits, and 24% increase in primary care use. More details on the program, outcomes, and policy recommendations can be found in the policy brief here.
	Los Angeles County Medical-Legal Community Partnership Increases Legal Support for Social Needs of Patients The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) Whole Person Care (WPC) launched its Medical-Legal Community Partnership (MLCP) in 2018 with the goal of helping patients address civil legal problems that harm their health. Community Health Workers, caseworkers, social workers, and clinicians identify patients with specific legal needs and connect them to an attorney from one of four legal service organizations—Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc., or Bet Tzedek Legal Services. Examples of common legal needs include benefits advocacy, halted utilities, obtaining identification, restraining orders, unlawful detainers, eviction notices, and immigration relief. MLCP served more than 2,700 patients between March 2018 and August 2020, helping many of them avoid evictions, obtain or restore public benefits, and receive other critical health and well-being related services.