KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - This week marks two important landmarks: the 20-year anniversary of the Health Care for the Homeless program in our community, and the annual recognition of National Health Care for the Homeless Week.
Through the Health Care for the Homeless program, multidisciplinary care teams take services directly to homeless people on the streets and in homeless shelters. Health problems—medical, mental, addiction, and combinations of these problems—are often at the root of homelessness, and once on the streets health can further deteriorate rapidly. Today, over 8,000 homeless people are assisted each year in King County.
“Serious health problems and homelessness are inseparable. As part of our plan to end homelessness in ten years, addressing the underlying health conditions of homeless will be a key ingredient,” said King County Executive Ron Sims.
“Seattle is proud to be a supporting partner in this nationally-acclaimed program. Providing health care services to this most vulnerable population is part of my commitment to building healthier communities,” said City of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.
Effective partnerships with community clinics, mental health and substance abuse programs, public health services, and homeless shelters constitute the heart of the Health Care for the Homeless Network.
“The dedicated staff of these community agencies deserves our thanks and praise. Everyday, they work together to help homeless people access care and services so they can move out of homelessness,” said King County Board of Health Chair and King County Councilmember Carolyn Edmonds.
In 2004, Health Care for the Homeless program and its partners:
- Provided over 41,000 visits to 8,125 homeless people in various shelters, day centers, and on the streets.
- Forty-eight percent of the individuals were uninsured, and 41% had coverage through Medicaid; half of the patients were people of color.
- Patients received care for conditions such as upper respiratory infections, wounds, tuberculosis, depression, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
- Thousands of referrals were made to dental, vision, substance abuse treatment programs, and specialty care to help homeless people regain their health.
In the years ahead, community partners will work to help implement the newly approved plan, “A Roof Over Every Bed in King County: Our Community’s Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness.” Developed by community leaders and advocates over the last several years, the plan received unanimous approval by the members of the Committee to End Homelessness at their March 7 meeting.
Beginning in 1985 as a part of a national demonstration program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Health Care for the Homeless program helped shape what has become a national model for effective engagement of homeless people.
Additional information on Health Care for the Homeless is available at www.metrokc.gov/health/hchn. Links a copy of the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness are available on the Committee to End Homelessness King County Web site, at www.cehkc.org.
Note to editors - Health Care for the Homeless has several patients and health care providers who are willing to provide interviews and share their perspectives and stories. For information on how to contact them, contact James Apa at 206-205-5442.
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