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July • 30 • 2015
Respite
News
A Newsletter for Members of the Respite Care Providers’ Network
New Recuperative Care Program Opens in South Los Angeles
Lamp Community Outdoor Area
A new 38-bed recuperative care program in East Rancho Dominguez celebrated its grand opening this past June. The program was supported by a $1.8 million investment by the Community Development Commission of the County of Los Angeles which financed rehabilitation for the new facility. Patients will have access to 24-hour nursing care and oversight as well as case management. Lamp Community, a multi-service agency serving people experiencing homelessness, will operate the program.
With the addition of the Lamp Community Recuperative Care Program, Los Angeles County is now home to four medical respite programs that operate across six sites. The emergence of medical respite programs in the area is in part due to litigation initiated by the Los Angeles City Attorney to put a stop to  “patient dumping.” The most recent lawsuit filed by the city alleges that Gardens Regional Hospital and Medical Center in Hawaiian Gardens dropped a patient off at a Skid Row shelter clad only in a paper top and bottom, no money, identification, or medication, and with no discharge plans in place. Since January 2014, the City Attorney’s Office has settled 3 other alleged patient dumping cases at a cost of $1.45 million to involved hospitals.
Boston's Medical Respite Program is Hiring a New Director
The Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program is searching for a Director for the Barbara McInnis House. Established in the mid-80’s, the Barbara McInnis House was one of the first medical respite programs to appear in the United States and its faculty helped to create the RCPN as other programs emerged. Today it is the largest medical respite program in the country with 104 beds. A job description is available on the Council’s Career page.
Council Completes Field Tests for Proposed Medical Respite Standards
In September 2014, the RCPN Steering Committee solicited comments for a set of proposed medical respite standards. The standards were revised after a thoughtful review and discussion of the comments and subsequently tested at three medical respite programs representing different model types and sizes. The field tests were completed this month and will be discussed at an in-person meeting of the RCPN Steering Committee this October. Stay tuned for further developments!
A New Name for Chicago's Medical Respite Program
Chicago’s medical respite program, formerly known as Interfaith House, has rebranded their organization as they grow and serve more people in new ways.  Their new name is The Boulevard of Chicago: The Road to Health and Home (The Boulevard for short). You can watch a short video documenting their work at www.blvd.org.  
Evansville Medical Respite Program Receives Leadership Award
The Homeless Medical Respite Program, a collaborative project between Deaconess Health System and United Caring Services (a homeless service agency), received the Leadership Evansville Project Division Award at the 20th annual Celebration of Leadership in March of this year. Established in November 2014, the medical respite program offers 6 beds based in a shelter to individuals discharged from local hospitals as well as referrals from community health care providers. Collaborating healthcare and housing agencies conduct on-site assessments and provide patient education.
Welcome New RCPN Steering Committee Members! 
The mission of the Respite Care Providers’ Network (RCPN) is to improve the health status of individuals who are homeless by supporting programs that provide medical respite and related services. The RCPN Steering Committee works to achieve this mission.
Randy Pinnelli, PA, Program Coordinator, Gospel Center Rescue Mission, Stockton, CA
Donna Biederman, DrPH, MN, RN, Assistant Professor, Duke University, Durham, NC
Eric Johnsen, MBA, Director, Community Homeless Solutions, Central Coast Medical Respite Care, Marina, CA
Scotti Warren, CSWA, MSW, MPH, Team Lead, Case Manager, Central City Concern, Portland, OR
See a complete list of the RCPN Steering Committee members.
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
P.O. Box 60427 | Nashville, TN 37206-0427
(615)226-2292 | www.nhchc.org
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