Announcing Our 2020 Award Winners in Health Care and Homelessness
The National Health Care for the Homeless Council is proud to recognize the five winners of our 2020 awards for outstanding achievement and leadership in the movement to improve homeless health care and end homelessness.
Though the 2020 National HCH Conference & Policy Symposium has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope you will join us in remotely honoring these outstanding leaders whom we would have acclaimed in-person at our awards ceremony in Phoenix, AZ.
Learn more about the honorees and watch presentation videos from our CEO Bobby Watts as well as Dr. Seth Ammerman, whose generous support makes possible our John N. Lozier Scholarship for New Members.
Philip W. Brickner National Leadership Award
Jean L. Hochron, M.P.H.
Jean Hochron has spent her adult life (even into retirement!) working to ensure access to quality health care for all. After receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the University Of Michigan School of Public Health, she entered public service working for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. She began her journey with the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program in 1990 as a federal project officer. In 1995, she became the HCH program director and continued in that role until 2008.
She then left federal service and continued as a health care advocate at the local government level until she retired in 2016. She is a former Board President of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. She now serves as a volunteer on the Patient and Family Advisory Council of a local hospital in Montgomery County, MD, and is also chairing an effort to establish a Senior Village to bring services and social opportunities to isolated members of her community.
Presentation of the Award
Acceptance of the Award
Karen Rotondo Award for Outstanding Service
Teresa Savino, APRN, Heartland Alliance Health, Chicago, IL
For the past 30 years, Teresa Savino has demonstrated singular dedication to serving people experiencing homelessness, working first as a community health nurse and then as a primary care provider for Heartland Alliance Health (HAH) in Chicago. Even inside an organization that is passionate about quality services, Teresa is a tireless advocate for participants. A colleague writes that, “By watching and listening to Teresa, I quickly understood that our primary tools—the only ones that really matter—are curiosity, compassion, and courage. Teresa uses each of these tools with relentless precision and our world is better for it.”
30 years later, she is still helping build healthcare infrastructure for Chicago’s homeless. When one of the shelters where Teresa has provided primary care had the opportunity to rebuild and expand, the team at Lincoln Park Shelter asked Teresa to help design and implement a dedicated healthcare space in the shelter. On its first day, Teresa had a full day of participants registered and waiting to see her, most after years as their primary healthcare provider and a number for the first time. Her reputation had preceded her.
Presentation of the Award
Ellen Dailey Consumer Advocate Award
Florencio Rios, Homeless Veterans Rehabilitation Program, California
Florencio Rios III is a veteran who had served in the United States Army Armed Forces and was deployed to serve in Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and Somalia. After his service, Florencio experienced many years of homelessness, substance abuse, and incarcerations. He then used his experience as a volunteer and a mentor for other homeless veterans through the Homeless Veterans Rehabilitation Program (HVRP) at Palo Alto Health Care Systems. He donates time and resources to veterans coming into treatment at all different stages of readiness of change.
Florencio believes that “in order to keep it, you have to give it away,” and he never forgets how difficult it was for him and how important it is to be there for others when they are ready to embrace change. Florencio has a “superpower” in motivating others to see their potential and take steps in reclaiming their lives in the face of adversity. He has put together several fundraisers for suicide awareness, and others to improve the quality of lives for other fellow Veterans. Florencio is currently working for the Veterans Administration as a Peer Support Specialist and is an active and respected member in the recovery community.
Presentation of the Award
Willie J. Mackey National Medical Respite Award
The Boulevard, Chicago, IL
The Boulevard of Chicago has provided Medical Respite care for 26 years. Our mission is uniquely qualified to respond to a critical demographic of our community—chronically ill and injured people who are experiencing homelessness. The Boulevard partners with area hospitals and other healthcare providers to identify our Medical Respite program participants; often, these individuals are also suffering from multiple chronic health challenges, including (but not limited to) hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or HIV. Quite often, they also have profound behavioral health challenges.
During their stay at The Boulevard, residents receive comprehensive medical services from our Federally Qualified Health Center, which allows them the time and attention they require to recover their health. During this period, residents also participate in a robust schedule of mental and behavioral health counseling, intensive addiction treatment and referral services, and housing support assistance.
Presentation of the Award
John N. Lozier Scholarship for New Members
Kali Luecke, PA-C, Family HealthCare, Fargo, ND
Kali Luecke is a physician assistant providing primary care to adults at Family HealthCare, the only homeless health care clinic in North Dakota. A passionate advocate for homeless health care and underserved populations, she sees patients in a walk-in clinic for people without homes on a weekly basis and cares for a diverse population including refugees, Native Americans, and others experiencing homelessness.
Highly esteemed in her organization, Luecke is the first person in their community to provide care on-site at one of Fargo’s permanent supportive housing programs.