The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network article focuses on the growing number of hospitals and health systems that are initiating projects to deal with the effects of the national housing crisis.
One example of a homeless prevention program is the Housing is Health initiative, where six health organizations provided major funding to Portland’s Central City Concern (CCC) for a new clinic and 379 units of urgently needed new housing. Housing is Health partners include HAN members Kaiser Permanente Northwest and Providence Health & Services – Oregon.
Across the country, HAN members are supporting and investing in affordable housing. “We’re learning more and more that without a place to live, it’s nearly impossible for a person to take care of their basic health needs,” said Bechara Choucair, MD, senior vice president and chief community health officer at Kaiser Permanente.