A bill making its way through the California Legislature would eliminate what L.A. County officials call a "major barrier" to helping the homeless quickly and effectively.
Assembly Bill 210, written by Assemblyman Miguel Santiago of Los Angeles, would allow county agencies to share some information about homeless clients with each other. It would also allow workers in various agencies to collaborate to get a person housed. The bill, which unanimously passed the California State Assembly last month, heads to the Senate on Tuesday for its first hearing.
Currently, said Phil Ansell, head of L.A. County's homeless initiative, state law goes well beyond federal privacy protections when it comes to sharing information.
"The current restrictions are a major barrier," Ansell said.
For instance, the county's Chief Executive Office has compiled information on homeless individuals who are incurring high costs by using public hospital emergency rooms and other county services at high rates.