Bobby Watts Named New CEO of National HCH Council

The National HCH Council, America’s leading voice for the advancement of homeless health care and secure housing for all, recently named G. Robert (“Bobby”) Watts as its new chief executive officer. Watts, who currently serves as executive director of New York City’s Care for the Homeless, a health care, shelter, and policy organization, will succeed the Council’s founding Executive Director John Lozier, who retired in late December. Watts will officially begin his duties this spring, until which time the Council’s Senior Director of Programs, Darlene Jenkins, is serving as Interim Executive Director. Learn more in our full announcement.

Special Report Examines the Past, Present, and Future of HCH

A new Council publication, “Health Care for the Homeless: A Vision of Health for All,” seeks to reconstruct the history of the HCH movement. Analyzing the program’s origins, strengths, and challenges, this unique report also discusses Health Care for the Homeless’s future within the contemporary U.S. health care landscape. Gathered from the oral histories of participants at the HCH Pioneers Session of the 2016 National HCH Conference in Portland, OR, this document illuminates Health Care for the Homeless and the National HCH Council through the testimonies of its longtime veterans, as well as other source materials.

HCH2017 to Offer Exciting Sponsorship Opportunities with Nonprofit Discounts

The Council is pleased to offer a diverse and creative menu of sponsorship and marketing opportunities, including a discount for nonprofit exhibitors, at our 2017 National HCH Conference & Policy Symposium. We anticipate up to 1,300 attendees from June 21-24 at HCH2017, which promises to be the largest yet of our growing annual conferences. Don’t miss this chance to become involved with the preeminent gathering of homeless health care professionals and consumers. Learn more in our online prospectus, apply now, or contact Membership & Development Coordinator Michael Durham with any questions.

New Webinar: Medication-Assisted Treatment: Changes in Federal Policy Will Help Increase Access to Opioid Treatment in the HCH Community

Please join us on January 25 at 1-2 p.m. ET for a webinar examining federal policy changes to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) that are important to the HCH community. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 expanded buprenorphine prescribing rights to nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and changes to federal regulations have increased patient limits. Complementing our recent policy brief, this webinar will analyze the implications of these policy changes, as well as how homeless health care providers can maximize MAT services in their programs. The discussion will feature perspectives from SAMHSA, as well as a panel of HCH providers from two states. Register now.

Listen to Our Archived Advocacy Call on Medicaid Advocacy and Homelessness

If you missed our national discussion of the future of Medicaid yesterday, you can now access the archived recording. On January 11, we partnered with the National Alliance to End Homelessness to detail proposed changes to Medicaid being discussed in Congress—and how you can advocate for the Medicaid expansion with your elected representatives. Connecting with local homeless service providers and stakeholders, this advocacy call provided attendees with critical talking points and tools for advocating for the Affordable Care Act and the Medicaid expansion.

Share Your Medicaid Story

This year, the Council is making preserving Medicaid our foremost advocacy priority—and we need your stories to help make that possible! On January 9, Senate Democrats took to the floor of Congress to share stories of individuals whose lives have been improved through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in order to prevent its repeal. So too is the Council collecting stories to help protect Medicaid. Please share your story with us to help ensure that policymakers understand the importance of maintaining—and expanding—Medicaid as a key tool for preventing and ending homelessness.

HCH Careers: View Recent Listings on the Council’s Jobs Board

The National HCH Council hosts a variety of job postings from across the Health Care for the Homeless field on our Careers page. Organizational Members are invited to submit open positions for our page, which attracts nearly 6,500 views each year. Recent postings include calls for the Executive Director of Advantage Health Centers (Detroit, MI); a Case Manager at Harbor Homes (Nashua, NH); a Behavioral Health Provider on the Substance Use Disorder Team at Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (Denver, CO), and more. View further listings—and learn how to submit your own—on our Careers page.