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PUBLIC RESOURCES IN
LOS ANGELES

Stay tuned for our 2025 SHE IS HOPE LA Resource Guide! Join our mailing list to receive your issue!

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FOR IMMEDIATE HELP

National 911 Program

911

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SHE IS HOPE LA's Emergency Resource Sheet

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THE EMERGENCY SHELTER LINE IS 800-548-6047

FAMILY SHELTER www.211LA.org

FOOD MAP www.foodfinder.211la.org

 

Mental Health and Crisis Services in the Westside, Los Angeles County

S.M.A.R.T. Team (Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Team)  (Monday-Friday only)
213-996-1300

 

Police Officer responds with the Mental Health Worker
310-966-6500

 

PMRT (Pet Team) Psychiatric Mobile Response Team
310-482-3260

 

MET – Mental Health & Sheriff for LA County
800-854-7771

 

Santa Monica Police
310-458-8491

 

Local Police West L.A. Captain
310-575-8400

 

TYY-hearing impaired
562-651-2549

 

Suicide Prevention Hotline
310-391-1253

 

Mental Health and Crisis Services in the Westside, Los Angeles County Local L.A. County Dept. of Mental Health
213-738-2524

 

Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services
310 390-8896

 

Local Westside Hospitals U.C.L.A. Neuropsychiatric
800-825-9989

CALFRESH

CalFresh - (formerly known as Food Stamps) is an entitlement program that provides monthly benefits to assist low-income households in purchasing the food they need to maintain adequate nutritional levels. In general, these benefits are for any food to qualify for this benefit program, you must be a resident of the state of California and meet one of the following requirements:

 

  1. You have a current bank balance (savings and checking combined) under $2,001, or

  2. You have a current bank balance (savings and checking combined) under $3,001 and share your household witone of the following:

    • A person or persons age 60 and over or

    • A person with a disability (a  child, your spouse, a parent, or yourself)

 

CONTACT Benefits Helpline: 1-877-847-3663

http://www.getcalfresh.org/s/cdss

WIC

USDA Information Hotline: (202) 720-2791
SNAP Toll-free Information Number: 1-800-221-5689

  

The WIC Program aims to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/contact-us

CALIFORNIA MEAL PROGRAM

The United States Department of Agriculture provides funding to support five school meal and milk programs to assist schools, districts, and other non-profit agencies in providing nutritious meals and milk to children at reasonable prices or free to qualified applicants. The five programs are: The National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Seamless Summer Feeding Option, Special Milk Program, and State Meal Program.

 

In order to qualify for these programs, you must be a resident of the state of California and a parent or primary caregiver responsible for a child(ren) who attends school (high school or under).

 

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact your School Nutrition Programs (SNP) County Specialist. The SNP County Specialist list is available in the Download Forms section of the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System, Form ID Caseload. You can also contact the SNP Office Technician (OT), by phone at 916-322-3005 to be directed to your SNP County Specialist. 

CAL WORKS

CalWORKs is a welfare program that gives cash aid and services to eligible needy California families. The program serves all 58 counties in the state and is operated locally by county welfare departments. If a family has little or no cash and needs housing, food, utilities, clothing or medical care, they may be eligible to receive short-term help.

http://www.benefitscal.org/immediate

LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES

(626) 569-1399 Local Number Customer Service Center
(310) 258-7400 Local Number Customer Service Center
(818) 701-8200 Local Number Customer Service Center
(866) 613-3777 Toll Free Customer Service Center
(877) 597-4777 Toll Free Health and Nutrition Hotline
(877) 244-5399 Toll Free Child Care Hotline

CHILD CARE REFERRAL AGENCIES

Resource and Referral Agencies (R&Rs) are local agencies that assist parents in finding licensed child care providers and help family license-exempt child care providers with licensing, fingerprinting, and other issues.
 

Many R&Rs are also Alternative Payment Program (APP) agencies, which means they administer programs that may be able to provide child care subsidies for low-income families.  Services provided may vary from agency to agency.
 

For general child care information regarding local Resource and Referral/Alternative Payment Program (R&R/APP) agencies, you may contact the Statewide R&R Child Care Connection number at (800) 543-7793 or visit the R&R Network's website at www.rrnetwork.org you may also contact the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA) toll-free at (888) 92-CHILD or visit CCALA's website at www.ccala.net

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If you are unsure which agency to contact, call the Statewide R&R Connection number (800) 543-7793

EBT CARD

Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is how you will receive and use CalFresh and Cash, CalWORKs, Refugee Cash Assistance, General Relief and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants benefits. You use a plastic card called a Golden State Advantage Card (EBT Card) and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to spend these benefits.

 

How will I get an EBT (Golden State Advantage) card and PIN?

The EBT (Golden State Advantage) Card comes in the mail for most participants. You also will receive a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in a separate mailing. If you use the District Office address for your mail, you must pick up your EBT (Golden State Advantage) Card in the District Office. You can select a PIN at that time or call the toll-free Customer Service Center number (1-877-328-9677 or the TTY at 1-800-735-2929). You need both the Card and PIN to use your CalFresh benefits and your cash benefits.

MEDI-CAL/COVERED CALIFORNIA

Free Guidance for navigating Medi-Cal

Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program HICAP https://cahealthadvocates.org/hicap/

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CALL Statewide Number: 1-800-434-0222

 

Medi-Cal Applications

1-888-452-2273 or  1-800-896-4042 

Apply Online. Click on the "Your Benefits Now!" link above.

Apply By Mail. Applications can be mailed to the Medi-Cal Mail-in Application Office at: P.O. Box 77267, Los Angeles, CA 90007-9819. 

Apply In Person. Please visit the nearest District Office.

 

Who can apply?

People who live in Los Angeles County;

People who are a parent, child, adults without children, older adults or disabled; 

People who meet the income guidelines

Adults, including both parents and adults without children, with yearly earnings of less than $15,856 for a single adult, or less than $32,499 for a family of four.

 

 

  • Children in families whose yearly earnings are less than $39,325 for a family of two, or $59,625 for a family of four.

  • Seniors with low incomes

  • People with disabilities with low incomes.

 

  

https://www.medi-cal.ca.gov/

https://www.coveredca.com/health/medi-cal/

CALIFORNIA MEDICAL CARE

1-888-452-2273) or  1-800-896-4042 

Apply Online. Click on the "Your Benefits Now!" link above.

Apply By Mail. Applications can be mailed to the Medi-Cal Mail-in Application Office at: P.O. Box 77267, Los Angeles, CA 90007-9819. 

Apply In Person. Please visit the nearest District Office.

 

Who can apply?

People who live in Los Angeles County;

People who are a parent, child, adults without children, older adults or disabled; 

People who meet the income guidelines

· Adults, including both parents and adults without children, with yearly earnings of less than $15,856 for a single adult, or less than $32,499 for a family of four.

· Children in families whose yearly earnings are less than $39,325 for a family of two, or $59,625 for a family of four.

· Seniors with low incomes.

HOUSING

SECTION 8 

The Section 8 program is financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide rent subsidies in the form of housing assistance payments (HAP) to private Landlords on behalf of extremely low, very low-income individuals/families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.

 

Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles

Main Office

  • Address: 2600 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90057

  • Phone: (213) 252-2500

  • TDD: (213) 252-5313

  • Website: www.hacla.org

 

Los Angeles Field Office

300 N. Los Angeles Street, Suite #4054
 

Valley Office
6946 Van Nuys Blvd., Ste. 100, Van Nuys, CA 91405
(818) 756-1194 Los Angeles, CA, 90012

 

LA Family Housing 

Helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty through a continuum of housing enriched with supportive services

7843 Lankershim Boulevard

North Hollywood, CA 91605

818-982-4091

https://lafh.org/

 

California Department of Community Service & Development

CSD reduces poverty for Californians by leading the development and coordination of effective and innovative programs for low-income individuals, families, and their communities​.

https://www.csd.ca.gov/

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https://www.calwic.org/local-agency-support/wic-can-help/september-housing-assistance/

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/la

https://abundanthousingla.org/affordable-housing-la-county/

https://lafh.org/

https://downtownwomenscenter.org/cbh/

https://www.asinglemother.org/grants-for-single-mothers-in-los-angeles/

https://www.alexandriahouse.org/

https://doorofhope.us/

https://www.hacla.org/en/about-section-8/emergency-housing-vouchers

https://www.elizabethhouse.net/need-help-now

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TRANSPORTATION

Access Free Fare Program

As an Access customer, you are eligible for the Free Fare program, so you can ride most bus and rail systems within Los Angeles County, including Metrolink, for free. Just present your green Access Rider ID Card as fare when you board. You don't have to register, and using the Free Fare program does not affect your eligibility for Access paratransit.

 

The following Los Angeles County systems currently participate in the Access’ Free Fare program:

 

Antelope Valley Transit Authority 661.945.9445

*Beach Cities Transit 310.937.6660

Carson Transit 310.225.2545 

*Culver CityBus 310.253.6500

DowneyLINK 562.529.5465

*El Monte Trolley Company 626.943.1200 

Foothill Transit 800.743.3463

*Gardena Municipal Bus Line 310.965.8888

Glendale Beeline 818.548.3960

Huntington Park COMBI 323.589.7100 

*LADOT DASH & Commuter Express (818, 323, 310, 213) 808.2273

*Long Beach Transit 562.591.2301 

*Montebello Bus Lines 323.558.1625

Monterey Park Spirit Bus 626.307.7842

Metro Bus and Metro Rail 323.466.3876

Metrolink 800.371.LINK (5465)

Norwalk Transit 562.929.5550

Palos Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority 310.544.7108

Pasadena Transit 626.744.4055

Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus 310.451.5444

*Santa Clarita Transit 661.294.1287 

Torrance Transit 310.618.6266 

West Hollywood Transit 800.447.2189

 

*Please be aware that these systems charge personal care assistants (PCAs) a fare when traveling with an Access customer.

https://accessla.org/other_mobility_resources/free_fare.html

 

Los Angeles Public Transport System

https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/travel/la-metro-public-transportation

Hope Skip Drive Youth Transportation

HopSkipDrive has always been dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children and families. We understand that transportation can be the difference between success and struggle, which is why we’re on a mission to use technology, operational expertise, and new thinking to help kids reach their full potential by providing a safe, dependable way to get them where they need to be. 

888-701-9899 (M-F)

1933 S. Broadway, Los Angeles ca 90007

$20 for a Car AND $2.50 a mile , car holds up to four people for a car pool, 90% of the drivers are woman with 5 years or more Caregiving experience.

https://www.hopskipdrive.com/

LEGAL HELP

Second Saturday is the critically acclaimed divorce workshop founded in 1989 by nationally renowned advocates/wealth managers Candace Bahr and Ginita Wall. Second Saturday offers non-biased financial, emotional, and legal information presented by local professionals, providing people with the knowledge, support, resources, and trust that they need to survive the divorce process and move forward with confidence toward a new life.

https://www.secondsaturday.com/

 

California Courts

https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-lowcosthelp.htm?rdeLocaleAttr=en

 

COUNSELING SERVICES

 

Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health  

https://dmh.lacounty.gov/get-help-now/

FOR 24/7 HELP, PLEASE CALL OUR HELPLINE AT (800) 854-7771

The LACDMH Help Line serves as the primary entry point for mental health services with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.

Open Counseling is a non-profit provider offer, free-to-low-cost counseling based on your income. Sponsored providers offer low-cost counseling for a fixed monthly rate.

https://www.opencounseling.com/california/los-angeles

 

ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY

 

In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, Antioch University Los Angeles has responded by creating Antioch Community Therapy Services. Our immediate mission is to provide free teletherapy services for those impacted by the virus, including first responders, families of those afflicted, people struggling with economic hardship, or others who are homebound and suffering. ACTS will strive to reach those who have traditionally had difficulty or reluctance in accessing services.

https://www.antioch.edu/los-angeles/degrees-programs/psychology-degree/antioch-community-therapy-services-acts/

 

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI provides education, support, and advocacy to improve the lives of those living with mental illness, as well as their families and friends, mental health professionals, and all who share NAMI’s vision and mission. The nonprofit organization was founded in 1979, and now has more than 210,000 members and 1,200 affiliate groups across the U.S. It was named one of the “top 100 charities most likely to change the world” (Worth magazine).

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The NAMI Westside Los Angeles chapter is one of several affiliates of both the NAMI California and the NAMI National organizations in Los Angeles county. We provide services in the Westside Los Angeles region

https://namila.org/crisis-hotlines-hospitals/

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Homeless Assistance
310-399-6878

 

Family Advocate with the Department of Mental Health
213-738-3945

 

Suicide Prevention Hotline
310-391-1253

 

211

 

211 LA (or 211 LA County) is the hub for community members and community organizations looking for all types of health, human, and social services in Los Angeles County. 

 

We provide information and referrals to the services that best meet individual needs, through our 24 hour 2-1-1 call line, or through our website and chat.

Our online community calendar connects people to local events that offer services and community connections.

 

Our special programs provide outreach and education, service navigation, or care coordination to assist people with accessing and obtaining services.

Our technology services allow community organizations to refer, track, and collaborate on their clients' care.

 

We maintain and update Los Angeles County's official comprehensive database of over 50,000 health and human services.

 

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, 211 LA has served the people of Los Angeles County since 1981, when it was formed under the name of The Information and Referral Federation of Los Angeles (also formerly known as InfoLine). 211 LA's services are funded through partnerships with the LA County Board of Supervisors, CEO and Departments; with contracts with the State of California, LAHSA, SoCal Gas, Southern California Edison, AARP, and others; and with grants from foundations including the National Institute of Health (NIH). 

https://www.211la.org/ or call 2-1-1

 

COVID 19 INFO & RELIEF

COVID Questions and Conversations/Rent Relief

https://dcba.lacounty.gov/cfe-covid-conversations/

https://covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/

 

OTHER RESOURCES 

 

DRESS FOR SUCCESS WORLDWIDE

The mission of Dress for Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

https://dressforsuccess.org

 

THE DOWNTOWN WOMEN’S CENTER

Focuses on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness or formerly homeless women.

442 S. San Pedro Street

Los Angeles, CA 90013

213-680-0600

https://downtownwomenscenter.org

Public Resources: Programs
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