Tapping into Health Resources for Homeless Families

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Tapping into Health Resources for Homeless
Families

• Susan Kline, MN ARNP
• Health Care for the Homeless Network
• Public Health Seattle King County
• February 9, 2007

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Structure of Seattle-King County HCHN Program
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• Reduce the barriers to care and assure access
• Meet clients where theyre at..
• Location
• Address the health concerns clients identify
  (patient/client-centered)
• Assure patients (health) safety

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Our Current ResponseMultidisciplinary Approach
to Care
Shelter staff get training on lice, TB, first
aid, cleaning up bodily fluids, etc. from HCH
Public Health Nurse
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Approach to Health Care
Acutely Homeless Chronically Homeless
Securely Housed
Crisis
Security
Acute Health Needs
Health Maintenance Health Promotion
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Current HCHN Programs by Subpopulation
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Current HCHN Programs by Subpopulation
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Public Health Programs

• Public Health Nurses
• Perinatal 12 Months Services
• Maternity Support Services
• Best Beginnings (First Time Parents)
• Children with Special Health Care Needs
• Moms Plus (Pregnant Parenting Women with
  Addictions)
• Northwest Family Center (Pregnant Parenting
  Women with HIV/AIDS)

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Public Health Programs

• WIC Nutrition Program
• Primary Care Clinics
• Dental Clinics
• TB Clinic
• Reproductive Health Clinics
• STD Clinic
• School-Based Health Centers

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Public Health Programs

• Environmental Health
• Food Handlers Certificates
• Emergency Preparedness
• Communicable Disease
• Tobacco Cessation
• Nutrition Education
• Healthy Homes Project (Asthma)

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• Strengths
• Rich array of services
• Many health care agencies are involved in the
  effort to serve homeless people.

• Challenges
• Avoiding duplication of service
• Communicating what is available
• Creating an integrated system

Future Direction Transition services from
emergency shelter-based model to a housing first
model
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• Public Health Seattle King County
• General www.metrokc.gov/health
• HCHN www.metrokc.gov/health/hchn
• Recommended Shelter Health and Safety Best
  Practice Guidelines
• An Influenza Pandemic Planning Guide for Homeless
  and Housing Service Providers
• National
• National Health Care for the Homeless Council
  www.nhchc.org

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• Locate Health Care Clinics (HCH Programs)
• Find a Health Center (Bureau of Primary Health
  Care) http//ask.hrsa.gov/pc/
• 211 Information Referral www.211.org/
• Health Information
• American Academy of Family Physicians
  http//familydoctor.org/x6973.xml
• American Academy of Pediatrics www.aap.org/topics.
  html
• Medline Plus http//medlineplus.gov/