Center for Health Care Strategies’ Post

The issue of homelessness has escalated due to the pandemic, with over 653,000 people reported as homeless in 2023. Healthcare organizations, encumbered by frequent visits from homeless individuals to emergency departments, are unable to tackle this challenge alone; collaboration with other community organizations is essential. Nonprofit organization Community Solutions aims to eliminate homelessness by fostering relationships between healthcare systems and homeless response systems. They work towards measurable reductions in homelessness, lower healthcare costs, and improved general population health. Their pilot initiative, Healthcare and Homelessness, focuses on data sharing, identifying patients in need of housing services, preventing discharge into homelessness, and improving coordination between healthcare and housing services. For information on how Priority Practice Management can help alleviate the administrative burdens of your private healthcare practice, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gpYmTyzz Article Link: https://lnkd.in/d4D8xCwt #privatepractice #healthcareadministration #privatehealthcare

For those navigating the harsh realities of homelessness, stability can be a distant dream. Community Health Centers' (CHCs) mission is to increase access to affordable, quality care for everyone. Collectively, CHCs serve nearly 1.3 million individuals experiencing homelessness each year, a vast majority of whom seek care from Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) grantee organizations. Although all Community Health Centers provide care to vulnerable people, more than 200 organizations receive targeted funding from the HCH program to meet the needs of those living without stable housing. These programs play a vital role in improving the health and well-being of homeless individuals, reducing healthcare disparities, and promoting a comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness. The Health Care for the Homeless program provides a crucial anchor of stability in the lives of those it serves. By offering consistent healthcare services, support, and advocacy, this program becomes a reliable partner on the path toward improved health and well-being. Today we honor the CHCs who work hard to increase access to affordable, quality care for everyone. To learn more visit: healthcenterweek.org and nhchc.org #NHCW23 #ValueCHCs #communityhealthcenters

What does collaborative partnership look like? Our partners have each provided a relationship 'manager' that I meet with monthly. Our monthly management advisory group meeting goes over our current and projected progress. We celebrate together, address challenges together, look for innovative solutions, and seek to leverage our combined networks. The most common question asked in our meetings is "what can we do to help in this situation?" Here's a couple of examples that made an incredible difference to a fledgling organisation like ours: 1. We needed a visitor management system. HDC made an IT project lead available who helped us select the right solution, customise that solution, and implement it. 2. We needed some specific policies and procedures to help with compliance challenges. ACW provided expertise, experience, and writing help developing the right policies and frameworks to support our mahi. I've been connected with so much expertise through these relationships. Sometimes it's an in-house resource from one of our partners. Sometimes it's an introduction to another professional or service we never knew existed. There have been hundreds of these types of interactions over the last few years. Outside of our scheduled meetings, these are my friends. We connect regularly - just checking in. To be clear, it's not just the designated person I have relationship with in our partner organisations. At multiple levels I have made dozens of friends. Our staff have built great friendships with people in those organisations too! Don't get me wrong, while funding is essential for our survival, it's the collaborative relationship and support that ensures sustainable long-term success. Thank you Nigel, Mayor Sandra, Kirstin, and the team at Hastings District Council - Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Heretaunga Thank you Joanne, Bishop Andrew, Sarah, and the team at Anglican Care Waiapu.

As the blazing sun sets over Maricopa County, the devastating reality of homelessness persists, a shameful distinction that perpetuates suffering and despair for thousands of our neighbors. This is utterly unacceptable. Yet, amidst this crisis, the Healthcare and Homelessness Pilot project shines a glimmer of hope, demonstrating the transformative power of collaboration in addressing this complex issue. By integrating health systems and homeless response organizations, this initiative has achieved remarkable success through its emphasis on collaboration, bidirectional awareness, and holistic care. Health systems can play a vital role in addressing homelessness by identifying housing needs, preventing discharge into homelessness, sharing data, and enhancing coordination. It's high time for Maricopa County to acknowledge the significant service gap and adopt a comprehensive approach, recognizing homelessness as a healthcare, housing, and human services issue that demands a multifaceted solution. We urge our local leaders to take bold and immediate action: - Provide funding and resources for interagency collaborations and pilot programs - Encourage health systems and homeless response organizations to work together - Develop policies and legislation promoting cross-sector partnerships and data sharing As Maricopa County confronts the fastest-growing homelessness problem in the country, we face a moral imperative to act swiftly and decisively. It is unconscionable that thousands of our neighbors are forced to sleep on the streets, suffering from preventable health crises and dignity-robbing despair. We should summon the collective will to scale innovative solutions, shatter barriers between healthcare, housing, and human services, and ensure every individual has a stable home and support to thrive. We owe it to ourselves, our community, and society to make homelessness rare and brief, saving lives and creating a healthier, more compassionate community. Let's rise to the challenge, break down silos, and build a comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness, once and for all. We can't afford to wait any longer. Maricopa County's distinction as the hottest major city in the country, with 645 heat-stress-related deaths last summer, demands urgent action. We must get ahead of this crisis and ensure a safer, more equitable future 🌝

Here's the rub, #pdx people, Tina Kotek - these elected officials know absolutely nothing about dealing with homelessness, and how to handle homeless issues - they have zero experience!!! This governing body with leadership participating that has actually been working in frontline services - was disbanded in 2022 - when we were trying to bounce back after the protests. This is why we couldn't bounce back - we were inundated with homeless people at our business doors - in EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. "The Joint Office was originally overseen by a governing body, dubbed A Home For Everyone, which was led by both local elected officials and nonprofit leaders. That board dissolved in early 2022 and was replaced by smaller community groups — a move that added to local politicians’ mistrust of the system." THEY REALLY NEED BOSTON HELP - BISTON & CAMBRIDGE ARE THE ONLY TRENCHES THAT HAVE SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS AND MANAGED TO HANDLE IT WITH INTEGRATED SYSTEMS OF HOMELESS SHELTERS - BOTH DRY & WET, VERY IMPORTANT; HEALTHCARE FOR HOMELESS; LEGAL AID CLINIC; SUBSTANCE ABUSE DROP-IN CLINICS & DAY COUNSELING SHELTERS; EVENING MEALS NIGHTLY - 7 DAYS A WEEK AT VARYING CHURCHES. REACH OUT TO BARBARA MCGINNIS HOUSE, CASPAR, HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS, AND ESPECIALLY The Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance. Maybe we need to learn from Collaboration. Otherwise - it's beginning to look like a Real Estate Scam where they drive down the Real Estate Values doing Lawnmower Man 2 (the movie) Tactics. https://lnkd.in/gjK3-FzJ

𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁/𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁-𝗶𝗻-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 (𝗣𝗜𝗧) 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁!! 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗜𝗧 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁?? It is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. This count occurs annually. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀? U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that Continuum of Care (CoC) Programs conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are unsheltered or sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲? A Continuum of Care (CoC) is the group composed of representatives of organizations including: nonprofit homeless providers, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, organizations that serve homeless and formerly homeless veterans, and homeless and formerly homeless persons. Responsibilities of a CoC include designating and operating a Homeless Management Information System, coordinating the implementation of a housing and service system within its geographic area that meets the needs of the individuals and families who experience homelessness there, and more. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁/𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴? If you come across someone who is homeless and feel comfortable approaching them, ask if they have met with someone in the last 24 hours to collect information about their homeless situation. If they say they have, great! Interventions will continue to best assist them through our CoC. If they haven't, please invite them to attend this free breakfast to ensure that social service agency leaders connect with the individual. If they aren't interested in attending the breakfast, please reach out to United Way at 573-221-2761 and share the location of the individual/their name and we will ensure someone comes and meets with them and/or ensure they have already had someone meet with them. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗜𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱? HUD uses the data from PIT counts to evaluate the effectiveness of local agencies' efforts to address homelessness and to determine funding amounts for them, and also compiles this data into the Annual Homeless Assessment Report, which is provided to Congress. 𝗔 𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘁 Hannibal Regional Healthcare System 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁!!

National Coalition for the Homeless Highlights Alarming Increases in Homelessness and Calls for Urgent Action in the Wake of HUD AHAR Report Washington, DC - The National Coalition for the Homeless, a leading advocate for housing rights, is deeply concerned about the recent findings presented in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR). The report reveals a disturbing 12% overall increase in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation from 2022 to 2023. This data highlights the pressing need for immediate action to ensure the protection of the human right to housing. According to AHAR report findings, the number of people experiencing homelessness is the highest since the reporting began in 2007, painting a bleak picture of the current housing crisis. These stark developments are a somber reminder of the inaction and lack of prioritization when it comes to addressing the root causes of homelessness in our country. We firmly believe that housing is a fundamental human right and cannot overlook the fact that these findings reflect an urgent need for more comprehensive and proactive measures to combat the growing crisis of homelessness in our communities. As the AHAR report underlines the gravity of the situation, National Coalition for the Homeless urges all stakeholders including government agencies, policymakers, and community leaders to collaborate and redouble their efforts to proactively address homelessness. We call for the immediate allocation of resources and the implementation of long-term solutions that prioritize access to safe and affordable housing for all. To underscore the need for swift access to housing, communities across the country will commemorate Homeless Persons' Memorial Day this week (December 21), remembering thousands of neighbors, family members and friends who have passed away prematurely due to lack of permanent and safe housing. A national service will be held, sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council: One Life, Too Many. Another Year, Too Long. Homeless Persons Memorial Day 2023 Thursday, December 21, 3:00pm-4: 30pm EST Register: https://lnkd.in/e75VMejx On this day, we come together as a community to mourn and remember those we have lost due to homelessness. It is a solemn occasion that reminds us of the dire consequences posed by the lack of stable, secure housing for our most vulnerable neighbors. Together, let us reaffirm our commitment to upholding the right to housing and work towards a future where homelessness is eradicated, and every individual has a place to call home. For media inquiries, please contact: Donald Whitehead 301-275-7341 [email protected]

Not even a year after the city launched The Path Home, our comprehensive plan to end chronic homelessness in three years, Newark has seen a 57.6% reduction in unsheltered homelessness. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) released their annual report on November 13, highlighting the City of Newark achieving a staggering 57.6% reduction in its unsheltered homeless population. The DCA’s statistics show the drop. By this date in 2022, Newark had a total of 3,841 total unsheltered persons. This year to date, there are only 1,627. The report was released as part of a DCA Press Conference to discuss their efforts to reduce homelessness statewide by 25 percent by 2025. Newark is committed to ending chronic homelessness by 2025, and the statistics show that the city is ahead of its target to achieving its goal. “The Path Home: Collaborating Across Our Community” is the city’s strategic comprehensive data-driven plan, which aims to end chronic homelessness in a span of three years. It seeks to establish a cooperative structure to address the multiple needs of residents without addresses, such as temporary and permanent housing, employment, medical and behavioral health care, and support services. Read more at NewarkNJ.gov (linked in our bio)

We recently released our inaugural Vital Signs report, an initiative aimed at measuring the health, wellbeing and quality of life indicators within the Geelong region. Vital Signs, a globally-recognised program utilised by Community Foundations worldwide, employs a data-driven approach to present a comprehensive overview of community trends, strengths, and needs. The report will now guide and inform funding decisions and provide valuable insights for community organisations in the Geelong region. The inaugural report highlights that #homelessness in Geelong has increased significantly in recent years: 🏠 1,700 People Experiencing homelessness 🏠 2,672 People at risk of homelessness 🏠 4,861 Individuals Accessing Specialist Homelessness Services Homelessness can be caused by poverty, unemployment or by a shortage of affordable housing, or it can be triggered by family breakdown, mental illness, sexual assault, addiction, financial difficulty, gambling or social isolation. “Homelessness does not discriminate. People who have jobs are finding themselves without a home; families without a place to sleep; and people having to navigate a broken system for the very first time," says Jade Hamilton, General Manager at Lazarus Community Centre Geelong. "Safety, security, and warmth are fundamental human basic needs; and without them, every aspect of an individual’s life is impacted.” In 2024-25 the Foundation has provided three grants totalling $56,000 to support the delivery of critical services to people experiencing homelessness, including: 𝗟𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲: $20,000 to continue to operate the centre and provide support to people experiencing homelessness; 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴: $22,000 to provide crisis and transitional accommodation to men experiencing homelessness; 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁: $14,000 to deliver a volunteer-led community meal to people experiencing homelessness and social disconnection. Read our Vital Signs Report here: https://lnkd.in/g7zZ6ZWj #GivingForever

Did you know the average age of death for a homeless female is just 52 years old? Currently in the United States, 30% of the homeless population are women. Inflation and lack of affordable housing continue to grow, and domestic violence stands as the leading cause of homelessness in women. According to the National Library of Medicine, women enduring unsheltered homelessness are 12 times more likely to face violence, poor mental and physical health, and premature death than women experiencing homelessness in shelters. Rebecca McDonald, our Women's Program Intake Coordinator, said she receives up to 15-20 phone calls per day from women seeking safe shelter. The 16 beds in our Women's Shelter, and the 15 beds for the 2nd Step Program at Sally's House, are full, with 17 women on the waitlist. Rebecca said, "It’s hard for a person to have the willingness to call here and ask for the help we offer that can change their lives. That’s a scary thing. Sometimes, that willingness doesn’t last, and they continue to live the way they were living. It would be such a huge advantage to have extra beds to offer in that moment when they are willing to come into the program." In 2023, City Mission served 1,436 unique individuals, an alarming 25% increase from the previous year. To read more about the current state of homelessness in our country: https://lnkd.in/eMFtNzxs