"For the first time in the decade that homeless mortality has been tracked in Los Angeles County, fewer people have died on the streets and in shelters, the Department of Public Health reported Tuesday. A sharp decrease in overdose deaths drove a decline of 10% in the rate of homeless deaths from all causes in 2024, the most recent year of data analyzed by the county."
"The annual analysis found 2,208 deaths in 2024. That was 300 fewer than in the previous year but still more than six deaths a day and more than four times the mortality rate for the county as a whole."
"Health officials attributed the improvement to overdose prevention and mental health and substance use treatment, but warned that the trend could be disrupted by expected cuts to those services. 'At a time of major reductions in federal and state funding for homeless services and supports, we are at risk of losing precious ground and seeing an increase in the number of vulnerable people losing their lives,' public health director Barbara Ferrer said."
Los Angeles County experienced its first decline in homeless mortality in a decade, with a 10% drop in 2024 driven by decreased overdose deaths. Despite this progress, 2,208 homeless individuals died that year—more than six per day—and the homeless mortality rate remains over four times higher than the general population. Drug overdose remained the leading cause of death at 40% of cases, followed by heart disease at 14% and traffic accidents at 11%. Health officials attribute the improvement to overdose prevention programs and expanded mental health and substance use treatment services. However, officials warn that anticipated cuts to federal and state homeless services funding threaten to reverse this positive trend.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]