New Era America, a mental health organization, is formally launching its effort in Los Angeles’s Skid Row after quietly piloting its mental-health-first model for three years. Founder Samir Zakir, a Los Angeles County resident, says the organization emphasizes stabilizing people experiencing severe trauma or psychosis before pursuing rapid housing placements. “We help heal minds and restore humanity,” Zakir said. “If you don’t have safety and security in your mind, you can’t make stable decisions.”
Skid Row is a 50-block area in downtown Los Angeles containing one of the largest stable populations of homeless people in the United States, estimated at over 4,400, with more than half living unsheltered in tents, makeshift structures, or on sidewalks. The organization is launching amid massive public spending on homelessness programs: the Los Angeles region has committed billions of dollars toward shelters, outreach, permanent supportive housing, and mental health services. The county’s Skid Row Action Plan has directed roughly $280 million toward expanded housing, healthcare, and supportive services since 2022.
Program Model and Results
New Era America prioritizes stabilization through “Kindness Pop-Ups,” where volunteers distribute essential supplies and gift cards, connect people directly to licensed clinicians and medical professionals, and enroll participants into a 90-day program called Forward Steps. Participants receive a minimum of 90 days of temporary housing, licensed mental health counseling, medical support, and trauma-focused care, including therapies such as EMDR and, in some cases, transcranial magnetic stimulation. Enrollment is voluntary, but participants must agree to treatment plans, including medication when appropriate.
The organization reports serving 480 individuals from San Francisco to San Diego, with the majority in Los Angeles. Twelve people have completed the full 90-day program, and according to Zakir, none of those graduates are currently unhoused. Zakir called the results “proof of concept,” emphasizing that the organization is “not driven by grant requirements” but “driven by outcomes.” Saturday’s activation marks the first formal public announcement in Los Angeles, with volunteers planning to walk several blocks in Skid Row distributing supplies and enrolling participants.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://headtopics.com/news/fed-up-angelenos-launch-private-mental-health-push-in-skid-79691502