Just as the health care system is not designed or equipped to address patients’ housing needs, homeless assistance programs and systems are not designed or equipped to take care of the often complex medical or behavioral health needs of people experiencing homelessness. Coordination is critical to leverage both systems’ resources to better serve people and to improve outcomes for individuals and families as well as the systems designed to support them.

This resource from Homebase provides information for health care providers about how homeless assistance works at the local level, with particular focus on two critical components: Continuums of Care and Coordinated Entry. In addition, there are practical, action-oriented suggestions on how to participate in your community’s response to homelessness.

You can download these materials below.