In locations where homeless people congregate, health and social service workers have established clinics designed to overcome the access problems faced by homeless people, providing comprehensive care that improves people's health and helps them to escape the trap of homelessness. Multidisciplinary teams work to remedy the variety of problems that affect their clients' health. Going beyond traditional medical care, these effective teams work with their clients to address issues of safe shelter and permanent housing, jobs and income, family relationships and substance abuse, all in an effort to help people get well and move out of homelessness. Health Care for the Homeless Projects are successful because they are designed and controlled by local communities to fill significant gaps in existing health care delivery systems. Each project has well-established relationships with providers of shelter, mental health, substance abuse and hospital services in its community, and has developed considerable experience in managing the care of homeless people.
Careful attention is paid to delivering high quality care in a cost-effective manner.
This model of care was developed through a 19-city demonstration program established in 1985 by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Pew Memorial Trust. In 1987, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act replicated the foundations' program and now 123 Health Care for the Homeless Projects are funded in part by the United States Public Health Service. The federal Health Care for the Homeless Program is widely recognized as one of the most effective McKinney Act programs, and is an indispensable, front-line component of our country's struggle with homelessness. Many factors put people at risk of homelessness. Systemic issues of unemployment, low wages, expensive housing, lack of health insurance and racial discrimination combine with common personal issues such as domestic violence, abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and serious mental and physical illnesses to create this persistent social problem.