Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) health centers utilized telehealth platforms in various creative and interesting ways. However, as the pandemic swept across the nation making in-person visits less safe, HCH health centers transitioned rapidly—in some instances overnight—to relying on telehealth for client care.
Recently, Council staff conducted interviews with 17 HCH health centers to learn about their experiences initiating and implementing telehealth to engage people experiencing homelessness living in shelters, in hotels, and on the street.
This Coffee Chat will feature representatives from three HCH health centers who will share how they are using backpack telehealth to treat people living on the street; how one agency engaged their Consumer Advisory Board to help improve telehealth offerings; and how telehealth may affect clients.
Please bring your coffee, lemonade, or water and chat with us for an hour while we share ideas and insights, foster peer learning, and build support across the HCH community.
Presenters:
- Anthony Fortenberry, Chief Nursing Officer, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, New York, NY
- Charlotte Garner, Chair, Health Care for the Homeless Houston Consumer Advisory Board, Houston, TX
- Andrew Grimm, COVID-19 Response Incident Commander, Vice President of Integrated Health Services, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Denver, CO
- Amy Sparks, Director of Behavioral Health/Homeless Services, Alabama Regional Medical Center, Birmingham, AL
Moderator:
- Joey Kenkel, Research Assistant, National Health Care for the Homeless Council
