Mobile Unit to Bring Health Care, Social Services to Homeless

Jeffrey Farber, director of programs at the nonprofit L.A. Family Housing Corp., has learned well one of the basic tenets of Los Angeles geography.

“The San Fernando Valley is its own community,” he said. “It’s gigantic.”

To better serve the needs of the Valley’s spread-out homeless population, Farber, police and other social service officials have bought a 34-foot recreational vehicle and outfitted it as a mobile homeless center.

On Friday, the vehicle’s operators showed it off to a group of senior officers at the North Hollywood police station.

Police play a key part in the mobile effort, Farber said, because they field a lot of calls regarding trouble with homeless people.

“This unit will help people alleviate the crisis they are dealing with and steer them toward the services they need,” Farber said.

The $60,000 vehicle--purchased with city funds--is equipped like a small clinic.

Nurses will examine patients and test them for ailments including tuberculosis and HIV. There also is space for workers to counsel clients and track available services by computer.

“We won’t send someone over for a sack lunch if the sack lunch place is full,” Farber said.