In this issue: #HCH2018 news, upcoming webinars, policy updates, & more.
In this issue: #HCH2018 news, upcoming webinars, policy updates, & more.
Council News
April 2018
HCH2018
Registration Still Open! Join Us at #HCH2018 for CME-Accredited Sessions, Site Visits, & More
It’s not too late to register for the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s 2018 National HCH Conference & Policy Symposium! When you join us in Minneapolis from May 15-18, you won’t just have the chance to attend intensive, CME-accredited workshops, Pre-Conference Institutes, and Learning Labs on homelessness and health care—you’ll also have the opportunity to witness the work that homeless service organizations are doing in-person in site visits to four local agencies. If you haven’t yet, we hope you’ll sign up to learn and network with hundreds of clinicians, consumers, advocates, and policymakers from across the U.S. as we explore what it means to be “Working Together for Community.” Learn more about our privately-funded “Health, Housing, & Humanity” rally and award winners at #HCH2018 below, browse sessions, and register now.
Rally
Stand Up for Housing and Health Care Justice at Our Privately-Funded Rally at #HCH2018
Join us as we unite for “Health, Housing, & Humanity” at the close of our 2018 National HCH Conference. We invite you to come together with us in a privately-funded rally for social justice and permanent housing solutions at 5:15-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, in Loring Park in Minneapolis. We will stand up to proclaim that housing is health care and that we must work together to secure housing for all through the engagement of communities and policymakers. To take part, meet us in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis at 5 p.m., and we will walk together to Loring Park. Contact Regina Reed, National Health Policy Organizer, with any questions.
Announcing Our #HCH2018 Award Winners
The National HCH Council is pleased to announce the five individuals and organizations to be honored at the Awards Lunch of our 2018 National HCH Conference from 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, in the Nicollet Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Learn more about the honorees, which include John Parvensky of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Asma Inge-Hanif of Muslimat Al Nisaa Shelter, Jacquelyn Hardy of Alabama Regional Medical Services, Dean Williams of Neighborcare Health, and the Fargo-Moorhead Medical Respite Planning Committee. Congratulations to our awardees, and thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination.
Upcoming Webinar to Highlight “Minority Stress and Trauma-Informed Approaches”
Chronic stress among marginalized groups is traumatic and has a negative impact on wellbeing and health outcomes. Learn how to minimize the effects of this trauma and cultivate more understanding around this issue in a new webinar, “Minority Stress and Trauma-Informed Approaches,” from the Fenway Institute and NHCHC at 2-3 p.m. CT on April 17. Alex S. Keuroghlian, Director of Education and Training Programs at the Fenway Institute, will introduce attendees to these concepts and ways to avoid the re-creation of harmful structures that exacerbate traumatic stress for marginalized groups. Sign up today.
Learn About Quality Assurance in Street Medicine in Our Webinar on April 23
Street medicine brings crucial services directly to people without homes, aiming to deliver a high quality of care to patients where they are—whether in streets, encampments, or elsewhere. Join us from 12-1 p.m. CT on April 23 for a webinar on "Administrative Concerns in Street Medicine: Assuring Quality without Sacrificing Mission" to learn how to develop a street medicine quality assurance program. Attendees will learn what key topics must be included in a policy and procedure manual and how to determine a safe scope of practice. Presenters also will discuss issues surrounding medical malpractice and liability, medication dispensing, safety guidelines, and specific quality metrics. Register now.
Archived #HCHVirtual Webinars Spotlight Crisis Response, Shelter-Health Center Relations, & More
If you missed our 2018 Spring Virtual Training sessions, now is your chance to view archived recordings and download materials from all eight “Responding to Crises” webinars. Access recorded sessions on disaster preparedness, smoking in public housing, effective ways to engage shelters in health care enrollment and outreach, and more! Thank you to everyone who attended #HCHVirtual.
Introduce Yourself to Medical Respite with Our Archived Webinar
On March 27, the Council explored the basics of medical respite in “Somewhere to Heal: An Introduction to Medical Respite Care.” Medical respite is a critical component in the continuum of health care for homeless populations, but the concept is still somewhat new despite burgeoning efforts across the U.S. to develop these vital programs. Access our archived webinar to learn from administrators and clinicians at five American medical respite programs: viewers will learn about the types of respite programs, clinical and behavioral health staffing, how to develop community partnerships and outcome measures, and resources for starting programs.
Advocacy in Focus: Racial Equity in Mobilizer and Opioid Epidemic Updates
As we advocate for health care and housing justice, we must address the continuing need for racial equity and effective responses to the opioid crisis. Examining findings from the Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities initiative, our latest Mobilizer features tips for advocating for the reversal of policies that have systematically discriminated against Americans of color, who are far more likely to experience homelessness than white Americans. The issue also contains a vital breakdown of the federal budget. Additionally, the Council plans to submit feedback soon in response to emerging Congressional bills designed to combat the opioid epidemic. Both chambers of Congress held hearings on Wednesday (read about the House bills and Senate bill). Congress hopes to pass these bills as part of a large package before upcoming November elections.
Council Responds to USDA’s Consideration of Stricter Limits on Food Stamps
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is considering stricter rules for people who receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps. The Council submitted comments in response to the USDA’s request for public input about whether more adults without children should be limited to only three months' assistance in a three-year period if the person is not working or in training. Clearly, access to adequate and nutritious food is important to good health—the Council opposes any effort to limit food stamp benefits.
New Funding Opportunity for Health Centers Offering Medication Therapy Management
Becton, Dickinson and Company, in partnership with Direct Relief and the National Association of Community Health Centers, has extended a Request for Proposals to fund community health centers with innovative programs in Medication Therapy Management (MTM), services that optimize therapeutic patient outcomes. This initiative aims to increase access to care and improve patient outcomes for underserved and vulnerable populations and will provide five $200,000 awards in 2018 to health centers to develop or improve current MTM programs in an effort to build awareness of community health centers’ contributions in fulfilling community needs. Learn more about past winners, eligibility requirements, and how to apply; submissions are due by May 4, 2018.
Council Recognizes Alcohol Awareness Month
Join us in April in recognizing Alcohol Awareness Month. More than 80,000 Americans die from alcohol-related deaths each year, and over 15 million people struggle with an alcohol use disorder. This illness affects those from all walks of life and requires sufficient treatment and support to overcome. Addictive disorders may contribute to and result from homelessness. Learn more about alcohol awareness and ways to reduce stigma at the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), and visit our Substance Use Disorder page for important resources on the connections between homelessness and addictions.
Organizational Member Spotlight: Heartland Alliance Health in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, Heartland Alliance Health provides medical, dental, and behavioral care, nutrition education, and other essential services to people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Recently, this community health organization expanded health care options for Chicagoans by opening a new health center in Englewood, a neighborhood affected by poverty and a lack of access to care. In addition to primary health care, the new Englewood Health Center provides this medically underserved community with drug treatment, insurance assistance, HIV/AIDS care, and other crucial services with an emphasis on allowing patients to take the lead in their health care. The Council is proud to have Heartland Alliance Health as an Organizational Member, and we look forward to hearing presentations from HAH representatives at HCH2018.
Volunteer Spotlight: David Peery of Camillus Health Concern in Miami, FL
A passionate advocate for the rights of people without homes, David Peery is a Regional Representative with the Council’s National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB) and chairperson of Camillus Health Concern’s Consumer Advisory Board. Through NCAB, Peery supports consumers at local health centers to engage in governance and advocacy and facilitates their communication with the NCAB Steering Committee to represent their perspectives to our broader community. David helped lead the “Fostering Trauma-Informed Leadership Skills for Consumers” Learning Lab at our 2017 National HCH Conference and is currently helping to relaunch the NCAB Newsletter. Learn more about David, including his work to secure the rights of Miamians without homes and to organize art fairs and blanket drives for consumers.
HCH Careers: View Recent Listings on the Council's Jobs Board
The Council hosts a variety of job postings from across the HCH 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 a Clinic Director at Father Joe’s Villages in San Diego, CA, and a Dentist, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Therapist Case Manager, Strategic Plan Project Manager, PCMH Practice Facilitation Project Manager, and more at Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore, MD. View further listings and learn how to submit your own on our Careers page, and contact Jennifer Dix, Communications Assistant, with any questions.
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