Project Hearth
"Saint John's has formed a partnership to provide a safe place for the homeless to recover"
-Latisha Starbuck, Vice President of Mission & Ethics
Emergency Departments often are places where homeless people—many with multiple medical problems—seek care. With nowhere to recover after treatment, they come back repeatedly as their health declines. “In keeping with our mission of ‘improving the health of the individuals and communities we serve, especially those who are poor or vulnerable,’ Saint John’s has formed a partnership with Venice Family Clinic and Westside homeless services provider OPCC to provide a safe place for the homeless to recover,” said Latisha Starbuck, Vice President of Mission and Ethics. “Project Hearth’s goals are to improve the quality of life and break the cycle of downward spiraling.”
Community Collaboration meets crucial need
With pilot project grant awards from Los Angeles County Homeless Prevention Initiative and the Tides Foundation, 10 respite beds were established at OPCC’s Samoshel facility in January. “Before our project was initiated, there were no respite beds available for the homeless on the Westside,” said Debby Maddis, MPH, OPCC’s Associate Director. Now, homeless patients at Saint John’s who are stable enough to be discharged are asked by a case manager if they want a place to stay where they can recuperate. If so, the hospital contacts OPCC Samoshel, and the patient is sent over to the facility by taxi. At OPCC, patients are able to stay for up to three weeks. In addition to having a bed in which to rest, they are provided with three meals a day and case management services. During their stay, patients also receive medical care from Venice Family Clinic physicians, who operate an on-site clinic at the OPCC Access Center. “The longer-term goal of the project is to help these individuals transition from the hospital into the community, with stable housing and the possibility of establishing a relationship with a primary care doctor at Venice Family Clinic,” explained Maddis. During the first three months of the project, six patients from Saint John’s received respite care at OPCC.
“One patient who was referred from Saint John’s was a 35-year-old woman who came into the Emergency Department on a cold winter night in January,” recounted Maddis. “She was suffering from disorientation, sleeplessness and exposure to the elements. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she spent a week in a respite bed and received medical care while she was here. Our case manager learned that the woman had been homeless for about a year, after losing her job due to alleged sexual harassment. Originally from Maryland, she expressed a desire to be reunited with her mother there. We were able to find funds for her transportation and facilitate a successful reunion with her mother.” As part of this innovative project, Saint John’s, OPCC and the Venice Family Clinic are collaborating on the development of discharge protocols and procedures that will allow this model to be replicated by other communities.