LOS ANGELES, CA (January 2026) — Since launching earlier this month, Los Angeles County’s Emergency Centralized Response Center (ECRC) has responded to hundreds of referrals by bringing county and city departments, outreach teams, and service providers into a single system. Embedded within this system, the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (MVA) serves as the County’s primary veteran-focused response partner, ensuring veterans are identified quickly and connected to housing, VA benefits, and veteran-specific services.
ECRC operates as part of a broader countywide shift toward centralized coordination, including the establishment of the Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing (HSH), which was established to consolidate homelessness programs, funding, and staff that were previously spread across multiple departments.
“By working together, ECRC and MVA have been able to address gaps in services and respond more effectively to client needs,” said Julie Jimenez, administrative manager with MVA’s Homeless Services Division (HSD).
As the primary point of contact for agencies engaging with veterans during outreach and encampment response efforts, MVA connects veterans to VA benefits, verifies VA shelter bed availability, matches eligible veterans to VA Project-Based Voucher housing, and links individuals to veteran-specific housing and supportive service programs. In addition to street outreach, MVA proactively works with homeless service providers and shelters to identify veterans already enrolled in programs and ensure they are connected to the full range of veteran-informed services available to them. MVA also provides training and technical guidance to partner agencies on veteran and VA systems.
MVA’s embedded role within ECRC allows the department to function as both a connector and problem-solver, helping partner agencies navigate veteran-specific systems while reducing delays and service gaps during outreach and encampment response efforts.
This coordinated approach strengthens continuity of care by ensuring veterans are not lost between systems and that follow-up remains consistent as individuals move through housing, benefits, and supportive service pathways.
“The ECRC–MVA partnership has directly contributed to improved access to resources and more consistent follow-through for participants, demonstrating what is possible when agencies align their goals and work collectively toward shared outcomes,” Jimenez said.
MVA’s ongoing work within ECRC reflects a commitment to strengthening coordination across county systems and ensuring veterans experiencing homelessness are connected to timely, appropriate, and veteran-informed services that support long-term stability.
Community members who encounter someone experiencing homelessness are encouraged to contact 2-1-1 for information, referrals, and access to countywide services, or submit a request through LA-HOP, Los Angeles County’s online portal designed to assist people experiencing unsheltered homelessness by connecting them with outreach services.
Story and photos by Layla Romero, Staff Assistant, Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
