Published by: Jane Hooker on 7/21/2011 4:03:35 PM
Five days a week I walk to and from the Naval-Archives Metro stop to the NAPH office on Pennsylvania Ave NW. On those walks, I meet and greet the same individuals experiencing homelessness, only blocks away from the White House and the US Capitol. I was a clinician in emergency departments at safety net hospitals for years so my clinical assessment skills still go in to overdrive and I can pick out veterans, older Americans, and individuals with chronic medical conditions and mental illness. It seems as if some things never change.
A number of our members go to extraordinary effort to provide comprehensive, high-quality and safe care to these individuals and I am proud to know them. In the near future, NAPH will begin a research project on the systems of care provided by these organizations. NAPH members are motivated by their mission to provide care to this and other vulnerable populations on a regular basis.
I often look for partnerships on behalf of our members to provide education and training at low or no cost. Last year, I found a unique partnership for our members - Common Ground, sponsor for the 100,000 Homes Campaign. This group of individuals is motivated in the same fashion as our members - to provide care to vulnerable populations - it is just that they just focus on individuals with homelessness.
Built on the 100,000 Lives Campaign at IHI, the 100,000 Homes project seeks to permanently house 100,000 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness by 2013. Last week, the National Association to End Homelessness met in DC. During that event, Common Ground announced that 10,244 individuals had been placed into permanent, sustainable housing as a result of the campaign. At the same time, 100,000 Homes became a fully independent nationally focused organization with Community Solutions. Common Ground remains focused on their work in New York. If you have not seen the anniversary video, please watch it now:
If your organization wants to learn more about this opportunity and join other NAPH members in working with Common Ground to help find permanent housing for some of the individuals you care for on a regular basis, view the dedicated section on our website. Information about Community Solutions can be found at www.cmtysolutions.org.
I am proud of our members and proud of the NAPH endorsing partnership with Common Ground and the 100,000 Homes Campaign. Between our members and Common Ground, it may be that there is light at the end of the tunnel for these individuals.