About 60,000 people find respite in New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelters on any given night.
For these people, health issues have often led to or prolonged their housing insecurity. The Collaborative for Homeless Healthcare, launched with the support of the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, aims to better address the unique needs of people experiencing homelessness in New York City by bringing together the leading healthcare providers who have an exclusive focus on homeless patients – Care for the Homeless, the Center for Urban Community Services, and Project Renewal, alongside DHS.
“Rooted in New York City, Helmsley is committed to helping our neighbors live healthier lives and addressing systemic challenges is a priority for homeless New Yorkers.”
– Tracy Perrizo, Program Officer at the Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Collaborative aims to use shared metrics and goals to develop new solutions to improve care coordination to benefit those that so sorely need it. Via the Trust’s recent press release: “In New York City, limited information-sharing and coordination makes continuity of care for homeless patients difficult. As a mobile population, patients travel among shelters, hospitals, and health social service providers that are not connected to each other. Over the next three years, the Collaborative will direct Helmsley resources to develop solutions to close this gap, build pathways to strengthen New York City’s homeless healthcare system, and improve patients’ health stability and well-being.”
Redstone serves as the support team for the Collaborative for Homeless Healthcare, helping to shape the Collaborative’s shared strategy by performing detailed analysis in support of key questions, leading and coordinating implementation activities, and organizing an efficient and structured process for multi-stakeholder engagement.
You can read more about the Collaborative and its work to make healthcare more accessible to the homeless and better share patient records in the January 26, 2019 issue of the Wall Street Journal.