Hilton Foundation Invests $3 Million in Los Angeles County’s First Pay For Success Deal

Individuals who are experiencing homelessness are at risk of entering the criminal justice system, and experiencing repeat jail stays, sometimes simply because they are homeless. Just in Reach (JIR) is a Los Angeles County program that aims to reduce jail recidivism and end homelessness through health-based housing. This week, Los Angeles County launched JIR as the first program in Los Angeles County to be funded through a “Pay for Success” financing model, which uses upfront funding from private investors to ensure the most positive outcomes for individuals, reduce the financial risk to government, and maximize public resources. We, along with our partners at UnitedHealthcare, have invested a combined $10 million in the PFS model for this program.

Over four years, JIR will place 300 homeless individuals who are currently in custody within the county jail and who have a mental health and/or substance use disorder into permanent supportive housing. Key partners in the program include the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS), the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the National Council on Crime & Delinquency, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the County CEO’s Office.

People struggling with homelessness and mental illness often find themselves going in and out of the criminal justice and emergency health care systems, rather than connected to the permanent solution of housing. This vicious cycle is costly and leads to poor health outcomes. JIR is a new path to ending the revolving door of homelessness and incarceration by offering people leaving our jails access to supportive housing and social and health services, preventing these individuals from reentering the cycle. This is among one of the many programs the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has partnered on with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.