Health Care for the Homeless Day
Although all health centers provide care to very low income people, the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program provides targeted funding to expand care in order to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Collectively, health centers serve 1.3 million individuals experiencing homelessness each year, with about 1 million of these individuals served by the 295 health centers that receive HCH funding.
People who are homeless have high rates of chronic and acute disease, behavioral health conditions, and other needs that make them particularly vulnerable to poor health, disability, and early death. As health centers serving a special population, HCHs provide high-quality, comprehensive primary care, behavioral health care, case management, outreach, and other needed services to meet the needs of people who are homeless. Due to the nature of homelessness, services are intentionally provided in trauma-informed ways that provide healing, choice, safety, and trust while honoring consumers as partners in care and experts in their own lives.
Health Center Week is a time to honor and celebrate the work being done at HCHs and to advocate for policies that end homelessness by providing comprehensive housing and health care as a human right.
