The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45924

Marcella A Maguire, PhD¹, Mary Scullion, RSM², Robert Hess³, Genny O'Donnell, BA², and Alex Otieno, MPH². (1) Coordinating Office for Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prgorams, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, 1101 Market Street, Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-685-5456, Marcella.Maguire@phila.gov, (2) Project Home, 1515 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130, (3) Managing Director's Office/Office of Adult Services, 1321 Arch St, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107

North, Eyrich and Polio, (2000) report that in the urban chronically homeless population of St Louis, the incidence of co-occurring disorders has risen substantially from the 1980s to the year 2000, particularly in relation to substance use and affective disorders. The federal Interagency Council on the Homeless (1999), reports that over 80%of the chronically homeless (i.e. those who spend more than 2 months a year in a shelter setting) suffers from some type of behavioral health disorder. Clearly, behavioral health and housing system coordination is essential to addressing the needs of this vulnerable population. Since the introduction of coordinating behavioral health services to the chronically homeless population, the number of individuals who live on the streets of downtown Philadelphia has declined from approximately 500 in the summer of 1998 to approximately 250 in the summer of 2001. A methodologically rigorous census of homeless individuals living on the streets is taken 4 times a year to determine these numbers and will be described. The presenters will also describe the political, fiscal, administrative, and clinical coordination necessary to achieve these described results. Strategies discussed include implementation of a "Safe Haven" model as outline by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, use of motivational interviewing techniques to engage individuals, and coordinating assistance between the local shelter system, the outreach agencies and the local Medicaid Managed Care organization.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe essential components to an effective continuum of care for effective outreach to a chronically homeless population.
• Construct coalitions of all relevant stakeholders in creating such a continuum of care.
• Identify gaps in needs and services in the already exisiting continuum of care for chronically homeless individuals in their home locations.

Keywords: Homeless, Mental Health Services

Related Web page: www.projecthome.net

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: 1) City of Philadelphia, Department of Social Services 2) Project Home
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.