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A Statement on Racism from the National Health Care for the Homeless Council
The trauma of racism is compounded by the lack of constructive national leadership. This is especially true when elected officials and anarchists alike seem intent on escalating violence and sowing purposeful divisions between people. All this prevents both progress and unity. According to Bobby Watts, CEO of the National HCH Council, “America’s ‘original sin’ of slavery lives on in the belief that some lives are worth less than others, and we see that acted out in police brutality, mass incarceration, and apartheid-like housing, health care, and educational systems.” Read our full statement.
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Incorporate Anti-Racism Resources for the HCH Community Into Your Practice and Advocacy
The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated persistent racial health disparities in the United States, and recent racist institutional violence has laid bare the brutal, ongoing fissures of racial injustice that dominate our entire society. In the wake of these crises, it is critical that we as homeless health care providers respond with the culturally competent, anti-racist initiatives necessary to help address the immediate needs of our patients while calling for systemic change.
To that end, the Council has collected resources for antiracism and diversity, equity, and inclusion in ongoing practice as well as in the context of novel coronavirus:
We urge you to consider incorporating these resources and principles into your ongoing work wherever possible. If you have any questions about the Council's initiatives in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please contact us.
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Save the Date for Our Community "Meet-Up" on Racism and OppressionFriday, June 12 | 12-1 p.m. CT
Racism, police violence, trauma, poverty, poor health, and homelessness: We know these are all related, and our spirit is heavy. Join us for an online gathering of the Health Care for the Homeless community on Friday, June 12, at 12 p.m. CT (1 p.m. ET) to discuss how we can move forward in the midst of crisis.
This moderated community forum will allow us to express our individual and collective feelings about how racism impacts us, our clients, our families, and our communities. Please join us to strengthen our community and recommit to our fight for justice.
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Upcoming Webinar: A Year On: Revisiting PrEP for HIV PreventionWednesday, June 17 | 1-2 p.m. CT
People without homes are at elevated risk of HIV infection: studies show they face 3-9 times the risk of infection compared to their housed counterparts. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a recommended strategy to work towards ending the HIV epidemic as part of the national plan, but providers serving homeless populations face barriers.
In June 2019, the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (HPACT) clinic at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System shared the work they are doing to initiate PrEP for eligible patients. A year later, the team continues to provide PrEP to those at risk of HIV infection in other VA systems. Join the webinar to hear how HPACT’s past efforts inform the current work of HIV prevention across the region.
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In Case You Missed It: Learn About Our Updated CAB Manual in Our New WebinarWednesday, June 24 | 2-3 p.m. CT
Consumer Advisory Boards (CABs) consist of people with lived experience of homelessness who are health center clients and work with HCH organizations to improve program management and services. Based on decades of collective experience participating in CABs, the Council’s National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB) has updated its CAB Manual to provide accessible guidance to help organizations develop their own CABs.
Join our discussion to learn how to start a CAB, maximize consumer leadership and involvement in HCH, and more with our NCAB Co-Chair and Regional Representatives.
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Stay Up-to-Date on How COVID-19 Is Affecting Homeless Health Care with Our Data Dashboard
The Council continues to extract and process emerging HRSA data to highlight how health centers serving patients experiencing housing instability, homelessness, and poverty are particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now current through late May, our regularly updated COVID-19 Data Dashboard features comparative data on testing results and capacity, clinic closures, telehealth visits, and virus disparity by race and ethnicity from health centers, health centers with only 330(h) funding, and all health centers with 330(h) funding. More national data is available on HRSA's website.
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Council Seeking Communications Manager and Clinical Director
The Council is seeking a Communications Manager to develop and coordinate our ongoing communications strategy and initiatives. Supporting our work through integrated marketing and branding efforts, this individual will plan and execute effective strategies while maintaining timely, high-quality communications such as newsletters, website content, and social media. The Council thanks departing Communications Manager Rick Brown for his service.
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| Additionally, we are seeking a qualified Clinical Director to become our behavioral and medical subject matter expert for contracts with HRSA’s Center for Excellence (COE) for Behavioral Health Technical Assistance (BHTA), National Cooperative Agreements, and other entities. This clinical position will work collaboratively on and at times lead initiatives focused on improving the health of homeless populations and optimizing the delivery of quality primary care. This position will allow 20 percent of staff time for direct patient care.
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Welcoming Our Newest Staff Member and Intern: Kelli Klein and Judith Park
We are excited to welcome Kelli Klein and Judith Park to the Council! As Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Coordinator, Kelli Klein provides technical assistance and supports the Council’s work on behavioral health and homelessness, focusing on the integration of behavioral health into primary care settings. She works specifically on HRSA’s Center of Excellence for BHTA which includes the development of webinars and peer learning opportunities through communities of practice.
Judith Park is an MPH/MSW student who comes to us from the University of Maryland and joins our Policy team in Baltimore, MD, as an intern where she will be collecting provider and consumer stories and assisting with policy research and analysis.
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Recent Council Resources:
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| June 3, 2020 | Volume 2, Issue 23 | Archives
Copyright © 2020 National Health Care for the Homeless Council
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