Health Care for the Homeless provides a comprehensive services to nearly 8,000 Marylanders annually at clinic sites in Baltimore City, Frederick and Montgomery County. HCH services, delivered through interdisciplinary teams, are designed to meet the full range of needs presented by people experiencing homelessness:
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Social Work and case management (including referrals for food & shelter)
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Addiction treatment through a State-Certified Outpatient Treatment Program
HCH also operates additional clinical programs designed to meet the health-related need of people experiencing, or at risk, of homelessness:
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The Connect and Adherence Projects promote residential and medical stability for vulnerable individuals living with HIV/AIDS who are also diagnosed with mental illness and/or addiction.
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The Cornerstone Project connects nonviolent ex-offenders living with HIV/AIDS to appropriate medical care and addiction treatment instead of incarceration.
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The Convalescent Care Program, in collaboration with two area shelters, ensures nursing assessment and recuperative care for individuals with medical conditions not severe enough for hospital admission.
In September 2003, HCH received ambulatory and behavioral health reaccredidation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. This achievement ensures that HCH meets the Joint Commission’s high standards of health care quality.
HCH provides a continuum of addiction services ranging from street reach/outreach to outpatient treatment and referral and placement in residential treatment programs. The program is based on a philosophical continuum, which integrates a harm reduction model with the abstinence based chronic disease model of addiction treatment.
HCH provides a
continuum of medical services ranging from health education, screening,
and primary medical care for acute and chronic conditions, to referrals
for specialty medical care. The Medical Team is comprised of physicians,
physician assistants, adult nurse practitioners, registered nurses,
medical assistants and referral specialists
Clients are referred
to the medical clinic by other providers within HCH, by community
members and organizations, and by self-referral. Since many homeless
individuals are not able to keep appointments scheduled weeks in
advance, clients referred to the Medical Team are usually seen on a
walk-in basis for the medical clinic.
Convalescent Care Program: The Convalescent Care Program (CCP) is designed for homeless clients with an acute illness who need 24 hour access to shelter. The convalescent care nurse, who coordinates the admission, discharge and medical care of the CCP clients, screens clients referred to the program. Clients meeting the criteria for the CCP are admitted to either the men's shelter at St. Ann's or the women's shelter at the YWCA and given medical care at the HCH Park Avenue clinic.
HCH provides social work
services ranging from emergency assistance, information and referral,
casework, and case management. Group work includes using art activities
to engage clients and a writers' group. Case conferences are held
regularly to facilitate care planning among all of the clinical teams
and to transition clients back into the larger community after housing
has been gained. Advocacy efforts on an individual and a systems basis
are integrated into all aspects of service delivery. Relationship
building is the key to initiating and sustaining services to the
homeless population. Building and maintaining a relationship of trust
with the client is essential for obtaining and maintaining services.
The HCH medical, mental health or
addictions teams refer clients for case management services and
assistance with meeting basic needs. Clients that are in managed care
programs, diagnosed HIV+ or with multiple chronic diseases or persistent
mental illness are to be referred for case management services. Clients
can self refer to the caseworker providing walk-in services.
Clients are referred
for Mental Health services in a variety of ways. Any Health Care for the
Homeless provider may refer a client. Outside agencies such as hospital
emergency rooms, inpatient programs, and community agencies may refer
clients. Clients may also refer themselves by scheduling an appointment
or by entering the system as a walk-in. Mental Health at HCH
includes triage services available daily to clients who
walk in for services; crisis intervention; assessment and evaluation;
education regarding medications, treatment compliance, substance abuse,
and HIV risk factors and preventions; individual treatment planning and
therapy; and medication monitoring.
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