Fentanyl, meth overdoses contributing factor in large spike in homeless deaths in LA County

A report released on Friday revealed a troubling trend amongst the rate of deaths within the Los Angeles County homeless population, with fentanyl and meth contributing to a drastic spike in deaths. 

According to the report, released by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the rate of death among homeless people jumped by 55% between 2019 and 2021. 

The report says that the mortality rate amongst homeless people in 2019 was 2,056 per 100,000, a number that rose to 3,183 in 2021. Actual numbers, however, show that 1,289 homeless people in the county died in 2019, while 2,201 died in 2021. 

The noted increase was largely fueled by drug overdoses, accounting for nearly 40% of all fatalities in 2020 and 2021 combined — equaling two deaths per day on average. The rate of death caused by overdoses doubled between 2019 and 2021. 

In that same span, overdose deaths due to fentanyl nearly tripled, jumping from 20% to 58% from 2019 to 2020. In 2021, 71% of those fentanyl overdoses also involved methamphetamine. 

"This report underscores the enormous destruction fentanyl is causing our communities," said Los Angles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath in a statement. "To know that people experiencing homelessness are 39 times more likely to die of a drug overdose compared to the overall population of L.A. County is yet another painful reminder of the harm our unhoused neighbors experience, and why we must continue to move with urgency to address the crisis on our streets."

The report also noted that the second-leading cause of death was coronary heart disease, accounting for 14% of deaths between 2020 and 2021 combined. The third-leading cause was traffic-related injuries followed by homicide and COVID-19.