Homeless deaths in Orange County have risen steadily over the past decade, with drug overdoses accounting for much of the increase, according to a report released Monday by a committee organized by Sheriff Don Barnes.
The Homeless Death Review Committee’s inaugural report showed that 103 bystanders died in 2012, compared to 395 in 2021. The leading cause of death is classified as accidental, with the majority being drug-related. Barnes said fentanyl has proven to be the deadliest drug on the rise.
“The increase in the number of homeless deaths is concerning,” Barnes said. “Most concerning is the significant increase we are seeing in fentanyl-related deaths.”
Barnes also stated that “Suicide and homicide rates among individuals in this population are significantly higher than national averages. What this shows is that the homeless are prone to higher rates of crime and suicide. Mental illness among the homeless may be a contributing factor to suicides.
The committee included experts from the Orange County Coroner’s Office, part of Barnes Department, the Orange County Care Coordinating Office, the Orange County Health Care Agency, the Southern California Hospital Association California, the Orange County Medical Association and CalOptima Health. .
In 2020, the county recorded 338 homeless deaths. In 2019, 217 homeless people died. Going back to 2010, the county had 85 deaths in this population.
The average age of death for homeless people who died in 2021 was 48.4. Of those who died, 5.3% were veterans.
In 2017, the main cause of death was natural causes with 47% and accidental with 36%. But in 2020, the number of accidental deaths rose to 54% and natural cases to 37%. In 2021, accidental deaths accounted for 59% of deaths and 28% were from natural causes.
Of the deaths recorded in 2021, 231 were accidents, or 58.5%. Forty-eight homeless people died as a result of the heat, or 12.2%. Twenty-two died by suicide and 17 died from COVID-19, while 11 were victims of homicide.
Of the accidental deaths, 144, or 36.5%, were due to fentanyl in 2021.
This eclipsed deaths from other drugs, which accounted for 33 deaths, or 8.4%.
There are legal hurdles to data mining, so Barnes asked Assemblyman Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, to look to Sacramento for help.
The committee recommended expanding addiction services, including expanding the availability and use of Narcan, which can be used to stop an overdose death. The committee also recommended changes to laws to help drug addicts receive treatment instead of jail.