Medical respite — also referred to as recuperative care — programs provide room, board, and medical care coordination in a postacute care setting for people experiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover from a physical illness or injury on the streets or in shelter, but who are not ill enough to be in a hospital.

These programs are emerging as an important intervention for people experiencing homelessness following a hospital stay or outpatient surgery that requires a stable setting for recovery.

Effective recuperative care reduces dependence on emergency rooms and law enforcement, reduces hospital readmissions, and provides more opportunities for people experiencing homelessness to get connected with support services and transitional housing.

Explore the resources below to learn more about how medical respite works and how to grow these programs.