 |
|
|
|
| Save the Date: 2016 Fall Regional Training
| |
Please make plans to join us at the National HCH Council’s 2016 Fall Regional Training from September 22-23 at the Louisville Marriot Downtown in Louisville, KY. Featuring two full days of in-depth trainings with national experts, the event will address top trends and issues in health care and homelessness. Potential topics at Louisville 2016 may include health care policy reform in Kentucky, social determinants of health and substance use, patient satisfaction, and integrating community health workers at your HCH organization, among many more! Additionally, attendees will be eligible for CME credits from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine at no additional cost. Registration will open soon. In the meantime, click here to save the upcoming event to your Outlook or iCalendar.
| |
| Help Us Find Our Next Executive Director
The National HCH Council has begun a search to find its new Executive Director. After 27 years as the Council’s founding Executive Director, John Lozier will retire on December 31, 2016. A tireless administrator and advocate for Health Care for the Homeless, Lozier has built a strong and vibrant organization. The Council has released a Position Profile which outlines the position’s context, responsibilities, and application process. We encourage you to review the document and share it with others who may be interested to help further our cause. If you yourself are interested, please contact the search firm following the application process detailed in the profile.
| |
| New Policy Brief Examines Hospital Community Benefit Activities
The Council has released a new policy brief, “Hospital Community Benefit Funds: Resources for the HCH Community.” To qualify for tax exemptions as charitable organizations, not-for-profit hospitals are required to engage in activities that aid their communities. This resource gives an overview of such “hospital community benefit” activities, which can mean additional funding for programs, staffing, and other assistance to meet the needs of people without homes, often addressing gaps in existing community services. Examining two types of benefits, such funds’ current distribution, state requirements, and hospital perspectives, this brief provides examples of successful existing partnerships and shares advice for maximizing hospital partnerships with HCH. A recent Council webinar further examined this funding, and the archived presentation and slides will be available soon.
| |
| Online Resource Guide Explores Integrating Community Health Workers into HCH Practice
The Council has developed a comprehensive resource guide for HCH programs interested in integrating Community Health Workers (CHWs) into their practice. Linked to improved outcomes, reduced costs, and advanced care delivery, CHWs can play a vital role in care coordination, outreach, and enrollment in HCH. This online guide explores the roles and responsibilities of CHWs, as well as their hiring, supervision, and integration in HCH settings, among other topics. Drawing on the experiences of participants in a three-year demonstration project funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation that concluded in June 2015, the guide also features a series of podcast interviews, "CHW Voices," with CHWs and CHW supervisors.
| |
| New Healing Hands Spotlights Care Coordination for People without Homes
The Council’s latest Healing Hands details the vital role of Care Coordination for patients experiencing homelessness. People without homes often receive services from multiple health care and social service providers, and coordinating care across these providers is integral to quality care efforts and supporting patients. This new issue discusses the benefits of care coordination, details challenges to implementing integration initiatives, and presents provider case studies to highlight solutions and strategies in care coordination for clients experiencing homelessness. Designed for and by American homeless health care professionals, this publication is designed to help learners understand and apply information about effective delivery of health care to patients without homes. CME credits are available for reading the issue and successfully completing the post-test.
| |
| Council Welcomes New Director of Research
The Council is pleased to welcome our new Director of Research, Alaina Boyer, PhD. A recent Senior Research Associate for the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Boyer will seek to establish and implement the Council’s national research agenda on homelessness and health care, overseeing health services research projects to improve homeless health care practice and policy. A skilled researcher whose recent projects include managing grants from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Minority Health and Disparities, Boyer brings a PhD in cancer biology and a background in patient-centered and community-engaged research to the position. She succeeds Molly Meinbresse, MPH, whom the Council thanks for her exemplary eight years of dedication and service to the field.
| |
| Upcoming Webinar to Examine Boston’s Innovative New Harm Reduction Program for Opioid Users
The Council will host a webinar spotlighting the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program’s (BHCHP) newly opened Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment (SPOT) from 2:30-3:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 28. In response to Boston’s local overdose crisis, the BHCHP has developed the SPOT to provide people with opioid use disorder a safe space in which they can be monitored during periods of sedation after taking substances and be offered connection to medical and addiction services. The webinar will discuss this innovative “harm reduction” approach to addressing the growing opioid crisis among vulnerable populations, examining the SPOT’s conceptualization and implementation, clinical impact, and the changing attitudes towards harm reduction that have resulted. Registration is open now.
| |
| New Webinar to Address Medication-Assisted Opioid Treatment for Patients Without Homes
An upcoming webinar from the National HCH Council will address treatment for opioid addiction among people experiencing homelessness from 3-4 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 18. The U.S. is facing an opioid epidemic, and for people without homes, the situation is even more severe. This webinar, which complements our recent policy brief, identifies challenges to treating opioid addiction with Medication Assisted Treatment (Buprenorphine) in a health center environment and discusses provider practices to overcome these challenges to promote access and recovery. The webinar will also provide an update on federal legislative and administrative efforts to address the opioid crisis and its impact on the delivery of treatment to persons experiencing homelessness. Register today.
| |
| Plan Your HCH Day Celebration With Our Tips and Webinar
Please join the Council in recognizing HCH Day on August 10! Falling in the middle of National Health Center Week (August 7-13), HCH Day is a time to celebrate the distinct work of HCH projects in addressing the interconnected health and social problems faced by most people without homes. Each year, consumers and staff at HCH projects organize events to build community relationships, engage officials, and show appreciation for the individuals who support HCH. Learn how to showcase HCH in your own community: read our HCH Day page, view our webinar, or contact us! If you’re celebrating HCH Day, let us know, and your event might be featured on our website. Thank you for the work that you do—now is the time to celebrate your commitment and passion!
| |
| Member Spotlight: Illumination Foundation: Irvine, CA
Our friends at the Illumination Foundation (IF) have garnered accolades recently for their programs bridging service gaps in Orange County, CA. Last month, the Association for Community Affiliated Plans honored IF with the 2016 Supporting the Safety Net award, which recognizes organizations implementing innovative programs to meet the health needs of high-risk populations while providing exemplary models of best practices. A non-HCH Organizational Member of the Council—like one-fourth of our membership body—the Illumination Foundation offers unique services including medical respite care for individuals not ill enough to remain in a hospital, but not well enough to recover on the streets. Thanks to IF CEO and President Paul Leon and his team for their excellence in service and dedication to the Council.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
