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Explore Diabetes Treatment for Patients Without Homes with Council Resources
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This month, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council is recognizing American Diabetes Month by offering resources to improve diabetes treatment in patients experiencing homelessness. Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death for Americans in 2015, and for people without homes, managing diabetes can be especially challenging since maintaining healthy diets can be difficult and refrigerating insulin can be impossible. Learn about oral health and diabetes in our webinar with the National Network for Oral Health Access and explore root cause analysis for improving diabetes management in homeless populations in our archived training. More information is available in our nutrition and diabetes discussion, adapted clinical guidelines, and further resources. The Council is also in the process of updating its adapted clinical guidelines on diabetes to reflect the most current best practices in our field, and if you would like to serve on the Advisory Committee, please email Darlene Jenkins.
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| Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day Is Coming: Plan an Observance
The National HCH Council, our National Consumer Advisory Board, and the National Coalition for the Homeless encourage you to organize or participate in Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day (HPMD) events on or around December 21st, the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. In these events, we remember those who have died, assert that no one should die for lack of housing, and strengthen our resolve to work for a world in which no life is lived or lost in homelessness. Get ready for HPMD with our Organizing Manual, archived webinar, and other resources. Contact us to receive help in organizing your observance.
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| New Adapted Clinical Guidelines for Providers Serving Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury Find practical strategies for increasing access to care and improving patient outcomes for clients without homes who are coping with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in our new resource. TBI is the leading cause of death and disability among American children and young adults and is associated with disabilities that may interfere with individuals’ ability to maintain stable housing, employment, and relationships. Research has shown high rates of cognitive impairment among people experiencing homelessness. To help address this issue, our guidelines highlight recommended strategies for the successful screening, treatment, and management of TBI in unstably housed populations.
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| New Fact Sheet Highlights Health Insurance at HCH Programs
Discover the impact that Medicaid expansion—or lack thereof—has made in health insurance coverage for patients at Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) programs across states in the Council’s fact sheet. 34 percent of all HCH patients are uninsured—compared to nine percent of the general population. However, states vary widely in health insurance coverage at HCH programs largely due to decisions regarding Medicaid expansion, and these state-by-state disparities come into focus in our new resource. How does your state compare?
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| Learn About Oral Health and Diabetes in Patients Without Homes in Our Webinar
Register for a free online training from the National Network for Oral Health Access and the Council to explore common barriers to oral health care for patients experiencing homelessness. This webinar will examine the prevalence of diabetes and periodontal disease in this population and feature insights from organizations with experience in treating patients experiencing homelessness for these health concerns. Sign up now.
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| Webinar to Examine Homelessness, Health, and Medical-Legal Partnerships
Join the Council and the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership for a discussion from 1-1:45 p.m. CT on November 19 to learn how medical-legal partnerships can address the civil legal needs of people without homes. Social factors such as unstable housing and unemployment can not only trap individuals in a perpetual cycle of homelessness but also lead to cascading health problems. To truly meet the complex needs of people without homes, health care teams can benefit from legal expertise to help navigate problems that go beyond clinics’ doors. Learn more in this webinar complementing a recent fact sheet and featuring information on a new Health Care for the Homeless-MLP Learning Collaborative set to start in December 2018. Register now.
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| Recent Webinars Examined Diabetes Management in Patients Without Homes and Family Homelessness
October’s “The Audacity to Be Bold: Addressing Diabetes in the Homeless Population” training examined root cause analysis for improving diabetes management in patients experiencing homelessness. View the archived discussion to learn how a community health center (which includes HCH funding) has tracked and improved the health outcomes of diabetic patients through process improvement tools, team-based care, and additional care activities targeted to improve the A1C. Additionally, the second webinar in our ongoing “Clinicians’ Coffee Chat” peer-learning and discussion series shared practical wisdom and resources on providing care for families without homes. Access the discussion.
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| Mid-Term Election Successes Expand Health Care Access and Voting Rights
The Council was delighted to see voters in Nebraska, Utah, and Idaho approve Medicaid expansion and many other states elect Medicaid champions. Other ballot initiatives achieved victories in the minimum wage, criminal justice, and voting rights (notably, Florida’s Amendment 4 will restore voting rights to over a million Americans with prior felony convictions). We are also pleased to see increasingly diverse candidates elected to public office, including more women and people who identify as LGBTQ. To all who engaged in activities to boost voter registration and turnout: thank you! Our democracy is strongest when all voices are included—regardless of health or housing status. The Council will continue to fight policies that create barriers to the ballot box and to advance human rights to prevent and end homelessness.
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| Submit Comments on the Proposed Public Charge Immigration Rule!
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| Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (Nov. 10-18) Is Nearly Here
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| HCH Careers: View Recent Listings on the Council's Jobs Board
The Council hosts a variety of job postings from across the Health Care for the Homeless field on our Careers page. We invite Organizational Members to submit open positions for our page, which attracts nearly 6,500 views each year. Recent postings include a Registered Nurse, Physician, and Medical Director at Health Care for the Homeless, Inc., in Baltimore, MD, and a Family/Street Medicine Advanced Practice Provider at CommUnityCare Health Centers in Austin, TX. 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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