Council Releases Medical Respite Care Standards

The National HCH Council is pleased to debut our Standards for Medical Respite Care. The Council intends these unique standards to improve quality and consistency across a range of medical respite programs and to improve opportunities for research and federal funding for medical respite care. The product of four years of work from the Standards Development Task Force and Respite Care Providers’ Network Steering Committee, these standards serve as a framework to help medical respite programs operate safely, effectively, and seamlessly with local health care systems while promoting program development and growth. The Council will assist programs in meeting these standards through our training and technical assistance program.

New Policy Brief: “Medication-Assisted Treatment: Changes in Federal Law and Regulation”

The Council has released a new policy brief on Medication-Assisted Treatment outlining recent federal guidance on expanding Buprenorphine prescribing rights to Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants, as well as raising the allowable number of patients to be treated. In addition to concisely detailing these changes, which should help expand access to critical opioid treatment options for the HCH community, this publication also provides a helpful bibliography of additional resources. Read the full brief.

New Publication Examines Shelter Health and Health Centers

The Council has released a new resource: “Shelter Health: Opportunities for Health Care for the Homeless Projects.” Shelter environments have a well-documented impact on the health of people experiencing homelessness, and health centers are well-positioned to lead discussions about systemic approaches to improve the health of individuals who rely on shelters to meet their basic needs. Learn how health centers can play a meaningful role in addressing shelter health problems in their communities by providing screenings, education, and treatment to shelter residents and staff in our new publication.

CPO Survey Explores Consumers’ Perceptions and Advice on Safety in HCH Settings

The National Consumer Advisory Board (NCAB)'s 2015-16 Consumer Participation Outreach Survey (CPO) explores physical, emotional, and psychological safety at HCH sites as a factor in access and quality of care. Every year, NCAB members conduct their own research projects to learn more about the concerns of consumers and highlight their voices, and this year NCAB members launched a survey to better understand consumers’ experiences and attitudes about safety at their HCH projects. The 2015-16 CPO reflects surveys from 537 people experiencing homelessness in six American cities. NCAB also has developed an abbreviated “one-pager” version of the results and the recommendations.

New Quick Guide Examines Consumer Engagement in HCH

NCAB has released “A Quick Guide on Consumer Engagement in Governance of Health Care for the Homeless Projects.” Exploring what organizational structures are needed to support effective consumer engagement and Consumer Advisory Boards (CABs), this publication builds off the foundation of the Council’s 2006 CAB Manual which gave guidance for new CABs in how to internally structure these consumer-led spaces. NCAB hopes that the quick guide can help stimulate local conversations about how HCH projects can support the development of safe and democratic structures for meaningful consumer engagement.

Council Remembers Willie Joe Mackey

The Council grieves the death of our colleague and friend Willie Joe Mackey. Willie passed away recently in his home in Palo Alto, CA. He was a member of the Respite Care Providers’ Network Steering Committee and a former member of the National Consumer Advisory Board. He was also a tireless advocate both locally and nationally for the importance of consumer voices and the critical need for medical respite care. Read remembrances of Willie and his keynote speech from the 2015 International Street Medicine Symposium on our website.

Support the Council Through An East Nashville Christmas

There is plenty of time as we head into the holiday season to pick up a few copies of our musical compilation, An East Nashville Christmas. Headquartered in Music City, the Council is pleased to have partnered with local artists to produce this unique album, a compilation of 18 holiday originals and classics performed exclusively by East Nashvillians. You can purchase the album for $10 with free shipping or in digital form for $9 online or through iTunes, or buy one of the album’s corresponding 18x24” posters—each of which is hand-signed by local designer Lucie Rice. 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the Council and our work to eliminate homelessness. Shop now.

Celebrate the Housing Not Handcuffs Campaign During National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

Join the Council in honoring the Housing Not Handcuffs (HNH) Campaign launching November 15 at www.housingnothandcuffs.org. HNH emphasizes that the first step in ending homelessness is to stop its criminalization immediately. All persons without homes instead should have access to affordable housing, education, health care, employment, income, and other opportunities that allow them to live with dignity. The campaign’s upcoming website will include model local, state, and federal policies to address these issues. The Council is proud to endorse HNH alongside over 50 other organizations. Your local events during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week could help start conversations about the impact of criminalization in your communities and ways to end this injustice.