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2019 National HCH Conference Call for Proposals and Reviewers Still Open!
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There's still time to submit your proposal to become a part of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council’s 2019 National HCH Conference & Policy Symposium! From May 22-25 in Washington, D.C., our Conference will unite hundreds of individuals from across the HCH field to explore crucial topics in homelessness and health care. We are seeking proposals reflective of our theme of “Working Together for Justice:” learn about Conference tracks, the review process, and session formats in our Call for Proposals and watch our instructional video. Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m. PT on October 29. We also are seeking reviewers to help determine which proposals will become a part of our Conference agenda. Indicate your interest in reviewing or contact us with any questions.
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| We Need Your Feedback! It’s Not Too Late to Complete our Strategic Planning Survey
If you haven’t yet done so, we invite you to complete a brief survey to help guide the National HCH Council’s efforts to improve homeless health care and end homelessness. Your feedback will inform the efforts of our Strategic Planning Committee, which recently reconfirmed our existing values and activities and is now exploring new strategies to maximize the Council’s effectiveness. Please take our survey today.
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| Report Summarizes UDS Data Relevant to HCH Programs The Uniform Data System (UDS) is a central repository for standardized health data from health centers funded under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. Our new report summarizes how the National HCH Council has utilized 2016 UDS data to provide technical assistance (TA) to 330(h) grantees and lookalikes to establish benchmarks, identify needs and prioritize new programs, demonstrate the value and impact of grantees and the overall HCH program, and facilitate the delivery of targeted training and TA. Read the report and view our accompanying webinar to learn about additional functions available through UDS Mapper.
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| Fact Sheet Highlights Role of Medical-Legal Partnerships in the Health of Homeless Populations
The Council recently partnered with the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership on a fact sheet describing the common social and legal needs affecting the health of individuals without homes and how integrated legal services can help meet those needs. Social factors such as unstable housing and unemployment can trap individuals in homelessness and lead to cascading health problems, and providers can benefit from legal expertise to help clients navigate problems beyond their clinic’s doors. Drawing on data from a study in Connecticut and New York, this resource highlights the housing and health benefits of medical-legal partnership services for homeless populations, especially veterans without homes. Read the paper and stay tuned for information about an accompanying webinar to be held on November 19.
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| Explore Our New PhotoVoice Digital Exhibit
The Council has established a new digital exhibit to share lived experiences of homelessness from participants in our PhotoVoice Learning Collaborative. Last year, we established a new three-year collaborative to address the stigma of homelessness in communities across the U.S. Health centers serving homeless populations have tremendous potential to directly influence societal inequities that contribute to health disparities. To leverage that potential, our project works with eight health centers who have recruited consumers to document their experiences through the PhotoVoice research methodology, putting cameras directly in their hands and asking, “What do you want people to know about your experience?” View their experiences and contact us with any questions or comments.
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| 2018 Medical Respite Training Symposium Session Materials Now Available
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| Honor Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on December 21 With Our Resources
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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Initiatives & Opportunities
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| New CSH Learning Collaborative Addresses LGBTQ Youth Homelessness
Join the Corporation for Supportive Housing for the kickoff of a new Learning Collaborative addressing the needs of youth without homes. Youth homelessness is a growing national tragedy with over 50,000 unaccompanied and parenting youth experiencing homelessness last year. LGBTQ youth make up 40 percent of this population and are at a higher risk for mental illness and substance use disorders. Organizations serving youth will benefit from this learning opportunity exploring issues affecting LGBTQ youth, best practices in providing care, and the intersection of behavioral health and housing. Register for an informational webinar at 1 p.m. CT on October 23 to learn more and take a survey to help coordinators better tailor the Learning Collaborative to your needs.
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| Health Centers: Strengthen Your Community Health Worker Program and Share Peer Knowledge in Our New Learning Collaborative
We are now accepting applications from health centers for our new Community Health Worker (CHW) Learning Collaborative! This is an excellent opportunity for organizations with established CHW programs that are exploring opportunities to expand and improve their services. We are seeking up to eight participating health centers and recommend a team enrollment of at least three individuals per agency (including staff with executive, clinical, and outreach/enabling service responsibilities). Additional staff can join sessions on specific topic areas as well. All participating agencies must complete an online Application of Interest by October 30 and commit to engage in all collaborative sessions and exercises with the goal of incorporating new knowledge into their CHW program. Contact us for more information.
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| Webinars to Examine Family Homelessness and Diabetes Treatment in Homeless Populations
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| Recent Webinar and Policy Brief Spotlighted Denver HCH’s Integrated Model of Care
The Council recently highlighted the exemplary efforts of Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH), Denver’s HCH program, which operates 1,800 units of supportive housing and has built many projects specifically for the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Successfully integrating health care and housing services throughout their programs, CCH has established a model of care that is replicable in many communities. Learn more about Denver’s success in our recent policy brief and webinar discussion with CCH CEO John Parvensky and his leadership team.
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| Policy Alert: Read Our Synopsis of Recent Opioid Legislation
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| New “Public Charge” Rule Puts Millions of Immigrant Families at Risk
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has published a proposed rule changing immigration policy for people seeking to enter the United States, making receiving safety-net benefits (such as Medicaid, food stamps, housing vouchers, and other vital programs) grounds for denying a visa or residency. This destructive regulation could force immigrants to choose between permanent legal status and fulfilling basic needs like healthy food, safe housing, and health care. There is an open 60-day comment period, closing on December 10. The Council will submit comments and share resources for the HCH community in our upcoming Mobilizer on October 25. In the meantime, learn from our partners at ProtectingImmigrantFamilies.org and sign up for Mobilizer to stay informed and engaged on the “Public Charge” and other policy news.
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| Health Center Staff: Please Complete a New Needs Assessment by Oct. 31
If you work at a health center, we urge you to participate in a national needs assessment to inform training and technical assistance to health centers. Developed by the National Association of Community Health Centers and the 20 organizations with National Cooperative Agreements at the behest of HRSA's Bureau of Primary Health Care, this assessment is an excellent opportunity to make your voice heard and improve technical assistance to health centers like yours! All health center staff may participate; CEOs and CMOs should have received personalized links to the assessment. Your health center's response is critical—complete the survey by October 31 to ensure that HCH programs are represented!
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| HHS Definition of Homelessness Potentially Expands
New updates to the Health Center Program Compliance Manual reflect changes in the Public Health Service Act. While most revisions pertain to enforcement of compliance, as detailed in this companion document, new language in the section defining the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) patient population states that HCH Health Centers “may also serve children and youth at risk of homelessness, homeless veterans, and veterans at risk of homelessness” (emphasis added). HRSA has not uniquely defined the term “at risk” at this time (though other federal definitions exist), and this ambiguity may open the door to serving new vulnerable populations. We encourage you to explore these possibilities with your project officer or contact us if you have any questions.
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| Respite Care and Sleep Deprivation in People Without Homes in Media Spotlight
The Council recently lent its perspective to news coverage highlighting a medical respite program in Bremerton, WA, and illustrating the effects of sleep deprivation in homeless populations. Learn about how the Benedict House, a three-bed respite program, is assisting people without homes recovering after hospital discharge in the Kitsap Sun, and read about the unrecognized problem of loss of sleep among individuals living on the streets in Rewire.News in an article featuring our CEO Bobby Watts and NHCHC Board Member Joseph Benson, a community health worker at Healthcare for the Homeless – Houston.
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| HCH Careers: View Recent Listings on the Council's Jobs Board
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