The Kaiser Family Foundation has partnered with the National HCH Council to release a new policy brief examining the effects of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on HCH projects. “How Has the ACA Medicaid Expansion Affected Providers Serving the Homeless Population: Analysis of Coverage, Revenues, and Costs” uses Uniform Data System (UDS) figures to reveal important changes among HCH projects in the first full year of Medicaid expansion, offering comparisons with other health centers as well as state-by-state information. The Kaiser Family Foundation will host a web briefing discussing these new findings from 3-4 p.m. ET on April 26, 2016. Registration is open now.

In collaboration with UnitedHealthcare, the National HCH Council has released a new policy brief, “Managed Care and Homeless Populations: Linking the HCH Community and MCO Partners.” Intended as a resource for managed care entities and service providers alike, this publication outlines the health care needs of patients experiencing homelessness and the possible partnerships that managed care and HCH organizations can forge to achieve common goals while better serving this population. A webinar conducted on April 5 featured representatives from UnitedHealthcare and HCH projects in Seattle and Yakima, WA, to highlight how managed care supports medical respite programs.

The newly released “Using the Social Ecological Model to Examine How Homelessness Is Defined and Managed in Rural East Tennessee” provides an insightful case study in how rural communities engage and perceive homelessness. Though often viewed as an urban issue, homelessness is pervasive in rural areas due to high poverty rates, lack of affordable housing, and geographical isolation. This publication examines that phenomenon through the lens of a 2014 study of East Tennessean communities conducted by the National HCH Council in collaboration with Vanderbilt University and Cherokee Health Systems. Analyzing the experiences of local consumers, organizational staff, and government officials, this study offers suggestions for how rural communities can improve their management of homeless issues and services.

The National HCH Council has released a new resource, “Talking Points on Homeless Encampments and Sweeps.” From Seattle to San Francisco, a number of jurisdictions across the United States have responded to the presence of encampments by initiating sweeps. This resource succinctly contextualizes that issue, discussing how such encampments illuminate problems in current public policy and shelter systems. Incorporating input from grassroots activists and advocates, the document also recommends that jurisdictions avoid the destruction of encampments, instead focusing on the creation of permanent, affordable housing and rapid re-housing of individuals living within these temporary shelters.

The National HCH Council will host a webinar on how HCH grantees can utilize Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting software to inform quality improvement efforts from 3-4 p.m. ET on May 3, 2016. Every community health center program is required to submit data for HRSA's UDS, but choosing the right software to facilitate that process can be an overwhelming decision. "We All Do IT: UDS and Reporting Software" will review relevant software while showcasing the experiences of two HCH grantees, detailing how they successfully used software to translate EMR/EHR data into UDS reporting categories and improve their quality of care. A live Q&A session will follow. Registration is open now.

Please join the National HCH Council in celebrating National Volunteer Week from April 10-16. The Council relies on the efforts of hundreds of selfless volunteers who devote their time to guide our strategic direction, strengthen our advocacy, and inform our research. Whether as members of our Board of Directors or our various Committees, our volunteers play a critical role in allowing us to better pursue our mission to eliminate homelessness by ensuring comprehensive health care and secure housing for everyone. This week—and year-round—we give thanks to those volunteers who exemplify the collaborative spirit of the HCH movement. Chances are, if you are reading this message, this sentiment applies to you—thank you!

A legacy member of the National HCH Council, RiverStone Health recently presented at the 2016 Spring Regional Training in Denver, CO. HCH Program Manager Carol Blank and Outreach Worker Louie Rivera lent their insights to the workshop on outreach and engagement, which are especially critical in rural areas like Billings in which homelessness can be largely “hidden” from the public. Council staff were thrilled to learn in this presentation that RiverStone’s staff orientation program requires completion of Health Care for the Homeless 101, one of our free online courses. Thanks to Carol and Louie for representing the distinct context of Montana to the homeless health care field. Learn more about membership.