This project profile offers details about Baltimore’s Healthcare for the Homeless, Inc. (HCH).
Established in 1985, HCH was one of nineteen demonstration programs founded under a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to examine a new model of providing health care and support services to individuals experiencing homelessness. Now part of the Health Center program administered by HRSA, HCH is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that served nearly 12,000 homeless individuals in Maryland in 2010.
HCH strives to end homelessness by providing health-related services, education and advocacy, envisioning a future where all Maryland citizens can find access to a decent wage, health care services and reasonably priced housing. As a member organization of the Joint Commission, HCH has made every effort to provide top quality care to it's patients, while also partnering with organizations such as the United Way, the State of Maryland, and the City of Baltimore.
Healthcare for the Homeless Inc. has amassed a multitude of projects, including one such program involving a partnership with HUD to provide housing, along with a care program for those homeless individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. In 2005, HCH developed a scattered-site housing first model and implemented a program that would accommodate 30 people. Utilizing a model of care that vigorously attempts to provide a variety of needed services (i.e., case management, mental health, addictions, and health care) allowed this program to expand to include an additional 50 people between 2007-2011.
