HRSA is the lead agency for improving access to health care for all Americans. Each project will offer special services to meet the unique needs of homeless people in their community. Health Care for the Homeless projects also report a corresponding 30 percent increase in the number of homeless persons seeking health care . Health Care for the Homeless projects provide primary care and substance abuse services at locations accessible to homeless individuals . Projects include emergency shelters, soup kitchens and congregate meal programs.
Programs also utilize street outreach workers to assist potential clients in accessing care.
The new programs raise the number of Health Care for the Homeless grantees to 128 with more than 500 delivery sites . In 1995, the Health Care for the Homeless program served more than 450,000 clients . In 1995, the program served 13,870 clients who were runaway or unattached youths under age 20. More than 4,000 of these youths were heads of households . Health Care for the Homeless programs develop linkages with local coalitions of health care and social service providers for access to shelter, food, clothing, employment training and job placement .