​NH Needs Coordinated Housing, Services for the Homeless: Report

MANCHESTER, NH — The NH Coalition to End Homelessness released a new report on Sept. 21, 2016, detailing the fiscal impact of insufficient housing and medical care for individuals with significant health needs who are experiencing homelessness. This issue brief illustrates, according to a press statement, the complexities in adequately serving this high need population, the financial implications of not providing adequate care, and some possible solutions to the problem that have seen success in other areas of the country and that could be explored for implementation in New Hampshire.

“This interagency brief reveals a gap in which the needs of those who are homeless and who present with extremely complex physical and mental healthcare challenges are not being met,” said Cathy Kuhn, Ph.D., director of the NH Coalition to End Homelessness. “Implementing proven and effective solutions that focus on cross-sector collaborations to ensure stability in both housing and in physical and emotional wellness will reduce costs to the community while at the same time improve outcomes among this extremely vulnerable population.”

The brief concludes with recommendations to reduce instances of expensive emergency care, including implementing multi-disciplinary teams of service providers, such as Community Care Teams, to manage complex cases, increasing Supportive Housing Programs, and expanding respite care options.

For the full report, visit nhceh.org/2016CaseStudy. For more information about the NHCEH, visit nhceh.org or call 603-641-9441.

Submitted by Michele Talwani.