Resource Search Results

COVID-19 & the HCH Community: Needed Policy Responses for a High-Risk Group (2020). Resource Type: Publication. Description: As the COVID-19 virus pandemic continues to grow throughout the world and in the United States, state and local public response systems are implementing a number of public health strategies to prevent further exposures and slow the spread of the virus. Infections among people experiencing homelessness will present specific challenges for those individuals, local response structures, and for Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) programs and other homeless service providers. More Details...

Lessons Learned in Diabetes Care for Homeless Populations: Best practices from peer collaborative of health centers and supportive housing providers (2020). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This publication summarizes key barriers and promising practices in the field identified by collaborative participants related to diabetes care for individuals experiencing homelessness or formerly homeless in supportive housing. More Details...

Why Homeless Populations Are a High-Risk Group — COVID-19 (2020). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This shareable infographic explains why people experiencing homelessness are especially vulnerable to to the coronavirus pandemic. More Details...

Things to Do During the COVID-19 Crisis if You Have Diabetes (2020). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This fact sheet synthesizes the distinct advice people with diabetes who experience homelessness need to know about the COVID-19 pandemic. More Details...

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Homeless Shelters and Homeless Service Providers (2020). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This infographic is meant for clients experiencing homelessness and the people who serve them to learn more about COVID-19 and measures to prevent its spread. More Details...

Recommendations for the Care of Patients Experiencing Homelessness at Risk for or Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes: Adapted Clinical Guidelines (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Clinicians providing health care to people experiencing homelessness routinely adapt their practice to foster better outcomes for their patients. This document has been developed to serve as a reference for members of multi-disciplinary care teams including administrators, and students serving people experiencing homelessness and are at risk for, diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. More Details...

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV Prevention: Considerations for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Despite major advancements in HIV testing, treatment, and prevention, HIV diagnoses in the United States have remained stable since 2013. The introduction of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has offered an opportunity to significantly reduce HIV transmission rates, yet those most at risk are not the ones utilizing this method of prevention. This fact sheet explores the intersection of HIV and homelessness, focusing on subpopulations with disproportionate rates of infection. It also provides promising practices in prevention and treatment, including recommendations around the initiation of PrEP in the Health Care for the Homeless setting. More Details...

Diabetes Management and Oral Health Among Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Promising and Evidence-Based Practices for Health Centers in Diabetes Management and Oral Care (2019). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This webinar addressed the burden of diabetes among older adults who have experienced homelessness and the burden of periodontal disease among this population; the role of supportive housing as a key social determinant in improving health outcomes, including connections to quality dental care; and promising and evidence-based practices aimed at improving overall dentition among older adults with diabetes who are homeless or formerly homeless. More Details...

HUD Policy Brief on Rapid Re-housing: Understanding the Impact and Potential for Health Centers - CSH: Health centers are increasingly participating in rapid re-housing, which helps individuals and families find stable housing with subsidies and services (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Health centers need to understand the resources and how to access to support affordable housing for their clients. Rapid Rehousing is an effective housing intervention to quickly stabilize individuals and families to address their health and service needs. More Details...

Treatment Models for Non-Opioid Substance Use Amongst Populations Experiencing Homelessness: Healing Hands (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This edition of Healing Hands complements a previous issue of Healing Hands, “Non-Opioid Substance Use, Mental Health, and Homelessness,” which contained information about the health impacts and demographic variance of substances that are commonly used by people experiencing homelessness, as well as guidance on confronting and reducing social stigmas about substance use. This issue focuses a lens on treatment by first examining treatment models and pharmacological interventions for substance use disorder, followed by information about additional tools that may assist care providers in providing comprehensive client-centered, trauma-informed physical and mental health care and harm reduction interventions. More Details...

HUD Policy Brief: for Health Centers - Rural Homelessness: Understanding the Role and Impact of Housing Policy for Health Centers (Rural Homelessness) (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: HUD's 'All Routes Home' initiative targets resources and technical assistance to strengthen collaborations in rural communities to address needs of homeless and vulnerable populations. More Details...

Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Medication-Assisted Treatment at Health Care for the Homeless Programs (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This paper outlines strategies for how Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) programs can start or expand medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services to address the opioid epidemic. While HCH programs serve only four percent of all health center patients nationally, they are responsible for serving nearly 40 percent of all patients receiving MAT. More Details...

Oral Health and Diabetes for Patients Experiencing Homelessness: Fact Sheet (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: NNOHA and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council partnered to develop this fact sheet on oral health and diabetes for patients experiencing homelessness. This purpose is to highlight linkages between periodontal disease, diabetes, and homelessness, as well as address, frequently asked questions related to understanding and caring for individuals who are experiencing homelessness. More Details...

Medical Respite Care Programs & the IHI Triple Aim Framework (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This policy brief takes a look at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Triple Aim framework and how medical respite care programs can add value to help health centers meet the three improvement goals of this model—population health, the patient’s experience of care, and the per capita cost of health care. More Details...

HUD Policy Brief for Health Centers - Recovery Housing: Understanding the Role and Impact of Housing Policy for Health Centers (Recovery Housing) (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Effective health and housing parterships are particularly relevant for those individuals and families facing the challenges of substance use disorders combined with precarious housing stability. This HUD policy brief builds an understanding for health centers on housing policy and approach to recovery housing More Details...

Homelessness & Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Health and Behavioral Health Consequences of Childhood Trauma (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Childhood trauma is a predictor of poor health outcomes and people experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience adverse experiences in childhood. Learn more about how you can screen for and address ACEs in our new resource. More Details...

HUD Policy Brief for Health Centers - Data Matching with Housing Community: Understanding the Role and Impact of Housing Policy for Health Centers (Data Matching) (2019). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Health centers and housing providers are serving the same clients, and HUD policies foster opportunities for partners to effectively share data target and improve Health Outcomes. This series translates federal housing policies to help health centers understand the impact and how to coordinate and adapt programming to create the most beneficial outcomes for clients. More Details...

Strategies for Using PRAPARE and other Tools to Address Homelessness: Quick Guide and Recommendations (2018). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Social determinants of health are an important piece of the health care continuum, and identifying what social determinants patients are experiencing is key to addressing their health care needs. The Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients’ Assets, Risks, and Experiences (PRAPARE) tool is one screening method used to assess the needs of individuals seeking care. The National HCH Council and the Corporation for Supportive Housing recently conducted a learning collaborative that identified key challenges and strategies from state and local health center perspectives. Emerging from these discussions, our new publication provides recommendations for addressing these challenges and lessons learned from the project. More Details...

Addressing Diabetes in the Homeless Population: The Audacity to Be Bold (2018). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This presentation discusses how a community health center, which includes Health Care for the Homeless funding, tracked and improved the health outcomes of their diabetic patients. The use of process improvement tools, team-based care, and additional clinical care activities were targeted to improve the A1C. This improvement journey was highlighted in the health center’s recent HRSA operational site visit. More Details...

ADAPTING YOUR PRACTICE: Recommendations for the Care of Patients who are Homeless or Unstably Housed Living with the Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (2018). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This document is for health care professionals, program administrators, other staff, and students serving individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who are homeless or at risk for homelessness. Its purpose is to improve patient care by enhancing understanding of recommended strategies for the successful screening, treatment, and management of traumatic brain injury in unstably housed populations. Some clinicians may be reluctant to screen for a history of traumatic brain injury, feeling that there is little they can do to help. We hope the information in this guideline will persuade clinicians that simple accommodations will not only increase access to care, but also improve patient outcomes. More Details...