How the Montebello Community Assistance Program (MCAP) Is Making a Difference for Unhoused Residents

The Montebello Community Assistance Program (MCAP) was created to address a fundamental mismatch: traditional first responders — police officers and firefighters — are trained for emergencies, but the vast majority of calls involving unhoused individuals are non-emergency situations requiring social services, not law enforcement. MCAP was designed to deploy the right team for the right situation, reducing the burden on traditional first responders while providing more effective, compassionate responses to residents experiencing homelessness.

MCAP deploys a four-person mobile team to non-emergency calls. The firefighter/paramedic provides medical assessment and immediate health triage — ensuring no one who needs emergency care is diverted away from it. The social worker coordinator leads the interaction, building rapport, assessing needs, and identifying appropriate services. The case manager handles enrollment in county benefits, health programs, and social services. The housing navigator focuses exclusively on connecting individuals with housing resources — from immediate shelter options to long-term permanent housing pathways through LA County's Coordinated Entry System.

Many unhoused individuals who call 911 or are reported by community members do not have medical emergencies — they need social services, mental health support, or simply a warm interaction with someone who can help them access resources. When a traditional ambulance responds to these calls, it often results in transport to an emergency room where the individual receives minimal social support, waits hours, and is discharged back to the street. MCAP intervenes before that cycle begins: by providing comprehensive social services on-site, MCAP significantly reduces the number of unnecessary ER transports, saving county healthcare costs and directing individuals toward more appropriate care.

Trust is built through consistent, respectful, non-coercive contact over time. MCAP operates on a relationship model: the same team members are assigned to the same geographic areas and return to the same individuals repeatedly. An unhoused person who has been visited three or four times by the same social worker is far more likely to accept a referral to interim housing than someone who is approached for the first time. This relationship model is one of the key reasons MCAP has produced measurable results in connecting Montebello's unhoused population to housing services.

MCAP and PDLA serve the same population but operate at different points of contact. MCAP responds to calls dispatched through 911 and the city; PDLA conducts proactive outreach at locations where unsheltered residents congregate — parks, commercial corridors, encampments — regardless of whether a call has been placed. We provide food and hygiene supplies that MCAP does not carry, and we build relationships with individuals who may be wary of any government-affiliated team, even a compassionate one. When MCAP and PDLA both know an individual, we can coordinate referrals and share information (with consent) to provide more complete support.