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Health Care JUSTICE
The intersection of poor health and homelessness
is irrefutable. Untreated disease and disability contribute
to homelessness, are consequent to it, and present barriers to
its ultimate end. The consequences of restricted access to
comprehensive health care are reflected in extremely high rates
of both chronic and acute health problems among people experiencing
homelessness. Homeless people's access to appropriate treatment
and care is hindered dramatically by a lack of health insurance
coverage. Absent a payment method, most people experiencing homelessness
are reliant on health care safety net systems that have been established
for delivering health care services to uninsured people. Regrettably,
people without housing encounter barriers to accessing and utilizing
these systems. While a number of community-based organizations
have responded to these access and utilization barriers to "mainstream"
services by developing health services programs specifically for
people without housing, they have never been funded at levels
that even begin to approach the health needs of all people experiencing
homelessness.
ALERTs:
August 27: Legislative Action Alert: Weigh-In On HUD McKinney-Vento Reauthorization.
June 11: In order to curtail the devastating impact that tobacco use has on the homeless community, the National Coalition for Homeless, in partnership with The Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM) and The National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty (NNTPP) are pleased to announce The National Survey on Tobacco Prevention at Homeless Service Agencies. The results of this survey will help guide further research and funding to this issue. Please click here to take the survey.
Health Care for the Homeless Program
NCH urges Congress to reauthorize and appropriate funds for the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program, a primary and related health services program targeted to people experiencing homelessness. Learn more...
For more information contact, Michael Stoops, Acting Executive Director,
202.462.4822, ext. 234; mstoops@nationalhomeless.org.
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