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Photo credit: Deidre Young, NCAB photographer and co-chair
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Thank You for Joining Us in Working Together for Community at #HCH2018!
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The National Health Care for the Homeless Council gives thanks to the attendees, presenters, exhibitors, and sponsors who joined us at our 2018 National HCH Conference & Policy Symposium in Minneapolis, MN. #HCH2018 welcomed 828 visitors—including approximately 40 consumers—representing nearly every U.S. state. If you were unable to attend or missed a workshop, you can now view slides and materials from #HCH2018’s intensive sessions and watch videos of the exciting speeches, award presentations, and rally—including the 2018 Brickner Award acceptance speech of John Parvensky, President and CEO of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. We’ll see you next year as we Work Together for Justice at #HCH2019 from May 22-25, 2019, in Washington, D.C. And don’t forget to save the date for our 2018 Medical Respite Training Symposium from October 1-2, 2018, in Phoenix, AZ! Registration opens soon.
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| Honor the Strength of People with the Lived Experience of Homelessness with a Summer Solstice Success Celebration This Thursday
Please join the National HCH Council on Thursday, June 21, for Summer Solstice Success Celebrations to honor the triumphs and lives of people who are surmounting barriers while unhoused, as well as those who have ultimately overcome homelessness. Every day, people without homes face incredible challenges to meet basic needs and thrive, yet their experience of homelessness does not define them or their life. People are able to achieve successes, small to large, in the process of becoming stable that we must honor and celebrate. View our resources—including practical tips and an in-depth webinar—to learn how to celebrate these victories in your community, or reach out to Katherine Cavanaugh, Consumer Advocate, for further guidance.
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| New Publication Highlights HCH Participation in Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations
Our latest case study examines how the Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO) at Hennepin Health in Minneapolis, MN, is addressing social determinants of health (to include housing). State Medicaid agencies are increasingly utilizing ACOs as an approach to redesign their health care delivery systems, and participating care providers in these states will experience significant changes in reimbursements and service organization/delivery. Through the lens of Hennepin Health, this publication examines key challenges, next steps, and lessons learned at one HCH program participating in an ACO. In case you missed it, our prior ACO case study focused on the Boston HCH Program.
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| New Brief: Recruiting and Retaining Consumers Experiencing Homelessness in Health Center Governance The National HCH Council has released a new brief discussing the challenges and solutions to engaging consumers in health center governance and organizational structures. As health centers and individuals committed to social justice principles, we all support consumer engagement. However, operationalizing those principles and values can be challenging. This publication discusses common challenges and offers solutions in how to recruit new consumer leaders, as well as how to create structures and environments that encourage them to continue to engage. Also included are useful lessons on creating healthy group dynamics.
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| Stay Up-to-Date with the National Consumer Advisory Board’s Newsletter
Learn what the Council’s National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB) is up to in our recently relaunched and improved newsletter: The Consumer Voice. This publication offers important information on housing and health care topics and shares updates on the work of NCAB and consumer advisory boards across the United States. View the Spring 2018 NCAB Newsletter to read the stories of some of our current NCAB Steering Committee members and remind yourself why housing is health care.
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| Upcoming Webinar to Explore Documentation of Social Determinants of Health Interventions through Enabling Services Data Collection Join the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Health Outreach Partners, and National HCH Council for a free webinar on June 21 at 12-1 p.m. CT to learn more about the ability to track and evaluate enabling services (ES). Health centers provide non-clinical ES services for the goal of increasing access to health care and improving health outcomes. Learn about tracking and documentation of ES services, an updated standardized protocol for ES data collection, and why this is an important tool in demonstrating health center value: register now.
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| Advocacy Alert: Congress Is Addressing Opioids Now—Be a Part of the Conversation!
We have borne witness to the damaging effects of opioid addiction for decades, and as the epidemic has expanded, Congress is now responding with a myriad of proposals. View our action alert and policy agenda to learn ways to get engaged to ensure that the solutions being considered recognize the needs of the HCH Community. View our letter to Congress, signed by 52 endorsing organizations, and contact us if you’re interested in participating in joint Congressional advocacy with Council staff.
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| HCH Careers: Council Seeking Bookkeeper / Payroll Specialist
The NHCHC is searching for a Bookkeeper/Payroll Specialist for our Nashville office. This individual would be responsible for handling the fundamental aspects of the Council’s financial recordkeeping, including managing accounts payable and accounts receivable, reconciling net asset accounts, recording financial transactions, and creating financial reports. Visit our Careers page to learn how to apply and view other listings from across the HCH field, including a Shelter Coordinator at Community Health Centers of Burlington in Vermont. Organizational Members are invited to submit open positions for our Careers page, which attracts nearly 6,500 views each year. Contact Jennifer Dix, Communications Assistant, with any questions.
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| Recent NLIHC Report Highlights Increasingly Unaffordable Housing in the U.S.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s new 2018 report, Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing, offers vital data on the gap between the cost of rental housing and wages in America at the national, state, and local levels. One key takeaway: in not a single state, county, or metropolitan area can an individual working a 40-hour week at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 afford to rent a two-bedroom home. The NLIHC’s findings complement those of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which recently released a report on extreme poverty in the United States. "Contempt for the poor in U.S. drives cruel policies,” stated the publication’s author Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.
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| New Study Shows Cost-Effectiveness for Hospitals of Medical Respite Care for People Without Homes An article in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved has demonstrated a strong business case for providing medical respite care to hospitalized people without homes. Authored by Dan Shetler and Donald Shepard, “Medical Respite for People Experiencing Homelessness: Financial Impacts with Alternative Levels of Medicaid Coverage” examines two hospital case studies, finding that hospitals and payers in Florida and Connecticut would save thousands of dollars per admission if they implement and jointly fund medical respite care programs. The Council is pleased to see increasing evidence of the power and cost-effectiveness of medical respite care for homeless populations. Respite care also recently received recognition in coverage from the Yakima Herald featuring our Organizational Member Yakima Neighborhood Health Services and Council CEO Bobby Watts.
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| Organizational Member Spotlight: Healthcare for the Homeless – Houston (TX)
Founded in 1999, Healthcare for the Homeless – Houston (HHH) is the only Federally Qualified Health Center that exclusively provides care for people experiencing homelessness in Texas’ largest city. HHH recognizes the power of the consumer voice in understanding and addressing gaps to better meet the needs of homeless populations. Primary care, behavioral health, case management, and dental care are among the comprehensive services that HHH provides in its three main clinics and 13 outreach sites throughout Harris County, including onsite care in permanent supportive housing. The Council is proud to have Healthcare for the Homeless – Houston as an Organizational Member and commends their work to help end homelessness. Learn more about HHH in June’s Organizational Member Spotlight.
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