Homelessness is linked to factors such as physical health, mental health, economic opportunity, local housing supply and affordability, violence, racial inequity, and more. That’s why addressing homelessness requires collaboration across sectors, especially between health care and homeless services providers.
Envision
- Multiple systems working together effectively so people are housed and healthy
- No wrong door for getting help and services
- Strong cross-sector collaboration allowing for successful referrals to behavioral health treatment, housing and transportation support, food assistance, legal aid, support for older adults, and more
Cross-sector partnerships are created to improve coordination and make progress toward a shared goal. For example:
- A hospital system, managed care plan, and housing assistance provider may coordinate to assist patients at risk of homelessness after being discharged from the hospital.
- A health care provider and a homeless services provider may partner to deliver primary care at local homeless shelters and via mobile clinics.
Explore the resources below to learn how your organization can apply lessons from existing cross-sector partnerships.