Resource Search Results

Health Care for the Homeless Health Center During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Fact Sheet (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This factsheet follows data submitted by health centers that have been tracking their testing, positivity, and vaccination rates. For research and advocacy concerns, this factsheet highlights affected demographics by COVID-19 by denoting rates of transmission during April 2020-March 2021. More Details...

Clinical Issues for Medical Respite/Recuperative Care Programs: Webinar Series (2021). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Medical respite/recuperative care refers to programs that provide acute and post-acute care to people expeiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover on the streets or in shelters but are ready for hospital discharge. This archived webinar series addresses three piority topics in the medical respite setting: addressing activities of daily living (ADL); addressing chronic conditions; and managing incontinence. Each webinar is accompanied by a clinical guidelines publication. More Details...

Pathways for Incorporating Occupational Therapy Services into Medical Respite/ Recuperative Care Programs (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The recourse identifies several pathways that medical respite programs can follow to integrate and engage occupational therapy services. Programs will need to consider which model aligns with their delivery of services and funding capabilities. The goal is to ensure each consumer of the medical respite program has access to high quality health services, supporting their overall recovery and health goals. More Details...

Lessons Learned in Data Sharing & Care Coordination (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This publication summarizes the lessons learned from conversations with Health Care for the Homeless health center consumers and providers as health centers work to create coordinated care systems through data. More Details...

Clinical Guidelines for Medical Respite/ Recuperative Care: Activities of Daily Living (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Programs should utilize this guideline to consider modifications to their programs and admission criteria while maintaining safety, an appropriate scope of practice, and conscientious utilization of available respite beds and services. This document provides guidance to understanding ADL, levels of assistance, and potential interventions that may be implemented within the medical respite setting. More Details...

Clinical Guidelines for Medical Respite Care: Chronic Conditions (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Medical respite/recuperative programs should utilize this guideline to consider opportunities for modifications to their programs and services to more intentionally address chronic condition management within their scope of services. This document provides guidance to increase understanding of chronic conditions, condition management, and potential interventions that may be implemented within the medical respite/ recuperative care setting. More Details...

Clinical Guidelines for Medical Respite Care: Incontinence (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Incontinence is often perceived as a behavioral issue, there are many physiological, medical, and environmental factors leading to incontinence, many of which are occur at greater rates for people experiencing homelessness. Incontinence is a condition that can be treated and managed, and medical respite/ recuperative care presents an opportunity to address this prevalent health need. More Details...

Approaches to Financing Medical Respite/Recuperative Care Programs (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Also known as recuperative care, medical respite care is short-term care for individuals experiencing homelessness who are too frail to recover from illness or injury on the streets or in shelters but not sick enough to remain in the hospital. This white paper describes trends and opportunities for funding medical respite programs and services and offers methods to expand and scale programs through innovative financing mechanisms and increased flexibility in payment policy. The paper outlines various approaches to finance medical respite programs, offering providers, state and federal Medicaid leadership, policymakers, and managed care organizations (MCOs) specific partnership options to ensure continuity and quality of care for patients with long-term health and housing needs. More Details...

Increasing Access to COVID-19 Vaccines Among Homeless Populations: Successful Partnerships Series (2021). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: This webinar series highlighted successful partnerships between Health Care for the Homeless health centers and local governments around the United States in their efforts to effectively get vaccines to people experiencing homelessness. More Details...

Trust or Trustworthiness: Which Comes First? (2021). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Among calls to overcome \"vaccine hesitancy\" among historically marginalized populations, this webinar (part 1 of a 2-part series) posits that to achieve trust (in vaccines), we must first become trustworthy. More Details...

So You Want to Start a Health Care for the Homeless Program (2021). Resource Type: Other. Description: This two-page quick guide answers the common question: How do I become an HCH grantee? It addresses both existing health center grantees and non-health-center prospective applicants. More Details...

Maintaining Access to Dental Services During COVID-19 (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, dental services were deemed non-essential and oral health services stopped. For people experiencing homelessness especially, however, dental services are critical. Over time, Health Care for the Homeless health centers innovated strategies to reopen and sustain access to these crucial services. This paper tracks themes from these innovations and recommends strategies to keep oral health services going during a pandemic. More Details...

Homelessness & COVID-19 Webinar Archives (2021). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: In the peak of the emergency response to COVID-19 cases among people experiencing homelessness, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council held semiweekly webinars/forums on the most pressing issues facing health centers in April and May. View all recordings of this series now. More Details...

A Clinical Resource Guide for Community Care Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The COVID-19 pandemic is requiring a comprehensive infectious disease response. People experiencing homelessness are at a unique disadvantage in adhering to infectious diseases prevention and control directives. In response, many communities have created facilities that provide 24/7 shelter, urgent and medical respite care, and infection prevention and control measures. This guide will focus on the needs of homeless populations requiring a stay at centers because they have tested positive for COVID-19, have been exposed to it, or are thought to be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 exposure. More Details...

Antigen Testing in Congregate Shelters: Process Outline and Implementation Playbook (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Ongoing testing is still needed to identify cases and properly treat those with symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID. The CDC has issued Interim Testing Guidance for shelters and encampments to inform practices. Use this Antigen Testing Playbook for step-by-step guidance on implementing a comprehensive testing strategy in congregate shelters. More Details...

Infographic: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine FAQ (2021). Resource Type: Other. Description: This infographic is meant to be a client-facing handout providing education and FAQs on the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. While it is designed to be accessible to populations experiencing homelessness, it is applicable to all patients. More Details...

Trauma, Mental Health, and Access to Services for People Experiencing Homelessness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Healing Hands (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Healing Hands, a publication of the HCH Clinicians’ Network, melds scientific knowledge with the experience of clinicians working in Health Care for the Homeless and reflects issues of concern to direct service providers and program administrators who serve people experiencing homelessness. This edition is the first in a two-part series focusing on the mental health impacts of COVID-19. More Details...

Staff Wellness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Healing Hands (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Healing Hands, a publication of the HCH Clinicians’ Network, melds scientific knowledge with the experience of clinicians working in Health Care for the Homeless and reflects issues of concern to direct service providers and program administrators who serve people experiencing homelessness. This is the second in a pair of editions focusing on the impacts of COVID-19 on homeless health care. More Details...

Strengthening Partnerships for Better Health Outcomes During COVID-19 (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: For the first time in recent memory, homelessness has been acknowledged as a public health crisis, one that community health centers of all kinds are beginning to confront. These case studies profile health centers that partnered with homeless services organizations to coordinate on COVID-19 services for people without homes. More Details...

Consumer Perspectives of the COVID-19 Vaccine: COVID-19 & the HCH Community (2021). Resource Type: Publication. Description: To better understand how people experiencing homelessness view the COVID-19 vaccine, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council conducted focus groups with steering committee members of its National Consumer Advisory Board and with consumers from local community homeless service programs. This brief is intended to (1) share their direct feedback so those planning vaccination events can better reach priority populations like those experiencing homelessness, and (2) identify actions that should be taken now to maximize the uptake of the vaccine. More Details...