LOS ANGELES, CA - Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (AD-51) joined California lawmakers, at the federal, state and local level, in attending the Grand Opening Ceremony of the LAC+USC Restorative Care Village, or RCV. The new facility is the product of a $68.5 million investment aimed at providing a healing environment for Los Angeles County residents. The facility will provide access to a new, comprehensive, whole-person approach to care, holistically addressing homelessness, mental illness, and medical comorbidities.
Assemblymember Carrillo, a years-long advocate for the expansion of affordable housing and mental health services in Los Angeles County, applauded the grand opening of the facility as a victory in the fight for healthcare and housing equity:
“The opening of this facility is a bold step in tackling homelessness, the lack of equitable healthcare access across our state and will provide much needed wrap-around, mental health and substance abuse resources” said Assemblywoman Carrillo. “The Restorative Care Village stands as a beacon of our commitment to tackling these issues in a sustainable way, ensuring that our most vulnerable communities benefit from our state’s prosperity through investments that reflect our values. As a society, we can no longer turn a blind to those suffering the most on the streets of Los Ángeles and beyond.”
The RCV will be the nation’s first mental health and well-being campus focused on responding to the needs of unhoused people in Los Angeles County. Among the facilities available at the campus include a psychiatric inpatient tower, mental health urgent care center and a patient wellness center. This large-scale initiative also involves the adaptive reuse of the County General Hospital.
At the State level, the Legislature has been working to address the homelessness crisis. Last year, the state invested $12 billion over two years for immediate, clinically enhanced bridge housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness. The investment also sought to bolster social services that address mental illness and homelessness among foster youth. This year, it invested $2.7 billion for infill development, adaptive reuse, the preservation of existing affordable housing, and multiple incentives for local governments to create housing at all income levels.
“The Restorative Care Village will have a significant impact in breaking the cycle of mental health illness, substance abuse, unemployment, incarceration, and homelessness," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District. “Its opening is part of my larger vision that focuses on creating a healthy village in and around the LAC+USC Medical Center campus, providing residents with access to a world-class integrated health delivery system, combined with development opportunities that promote economic prosperity, health, and infrastructure for the betterment of the greater community. It's an investment in 'Care First, Jail Last.'"
This year, in partnership with the County of Los Angeles, Assemblywoman Carrillo fought to secure $50 million in State funding for adaptive reuse of the General Hospital. The goal of transforming the 1.2 million square foot, 19-story building into a mixed income rental housing complex is meant to accommodate various levels of affordability.
Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo was elected as the representative of the 51st Assembly District in December of 2017. She is currently the Chair of Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration, and a member of the Assembly Committees on Appropriations; Budget; Health; Housing and Community Development; and Utilities and Energy. Carrillo represents the people of East Los Angeles, Northeast Los Angeles, and the neighborhoods of El Sereno, Echo Park, Lincoln Heights, Chinatown and parts of Silver Lake.
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