Article by Bill Pitkin, Ph.D., Former Director, Domestic Programs
On November 2, approximately 100 leaders from public, philanthropic, and nonprofit sectors gathered at the Conference Center at Cathedral Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.
On November 2, approximately 100 leaders from public, philanthropic, and nonprofit sectors gathered at the Conference Center at Cathedral Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. The goal of the meeting was to exchange ideas, experiences and strategies to better align health and housing resources for the benefit of homeless persons in Los Angeles County. The half-day convening was organized and sponsored by the Los Angeles Homeless Funders Group, a regional affiliate of Funders Together to End Homelessness. offsite link
The opening session included remarks from Jennifer Ho, Deputy Director at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Richard Cho, Director of Innovation at the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), and Carol Wilkins, a consultant with Abt Associates. The speakers touched on opportunities to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.
Three breakout sessions analyzed various aspects of health care and homelessness. Session A looked at promising service models that integrate health and housing, with speakers from two Los Angeles-based collaborations. Session B focused on the health care delivery system and issues of health insurance coverage for homeless persons, with speakers from the LA County Department of Health Services and a community clinic. Session C dealt with state policy issues related to managed care and Medi-Cal expansion, including remarks from a consultant to the California State Assembly Health Committee.
The final session included reflections from two LA County leaders regarding housing as a health care intervention, as well as thoughts on how to promote the concept of supportive housing and bring it to scale. Jonathan Hunter, Managing Director of the Western Region for CSH, moderated a conversation between Dr. Marvin Southard, Director of the LA County Department of Mental Health and Dr. Mitchell Katz, Director of the LA County Department of Health Services.
Here are electronic copies of the handouts and other materials from the session, as well as some additional publications and reports you might find useful:
Meeting Materials
Opening Session (“New Opportunities to Improve Health Outcomes and Reduce Costs through Integrating Healthcare and Housing”)
Supportive Housing as a Tool to Control Costs while Improving Health Outcomes and Care Quality Among High-Cost Medicaid Beneficiaries, Richard Cho, Corporation for Supportive Housing
Breakout Sessions
- Session A (“Promising Service Models That Integrate Health and Housing”)
- Session B (“LA County’s Healthcare Delivery System”)
- Session C (“Exploring Policy Opportunities in California to Fund Services in Supportive Housing”)
How is the Affordable Care Act Leading to Changes in Medicaid Today?
Background documents
Integrating FQHC Health Care Services with Permanent Supportive Housing in Los Angeles, CSH and UHHP
Medicaid-Financed Services in Supportive Housing for High Need Homeless Beneficiaries: The Business Case, Center for Health Care Strategies and Corporation for Supportive Housing
Medicaid Coverage and Care for the Homeless Populations: Key Lessons to Consider for the 2014 Medicaid Expansion, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Medicaid’s New “Health Home” Option, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
Health, Housing, and Service Supports for Three Groups of People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness, Martha R. Burt and Carol Wilkins, Abt Associates, Inc.
Medicaid Financing for Services in Supportive Housing for Chronically Homeless People: Current Practices and Opportunities, Carol Wilkins, Martha R. Burt and Danna Mauch, Abt Associates, Inc.