Formerly West Side Community Health Services. The Health Care for the Homeless program provides medical, mental health and dental services at 4 clinic sites and 3 outreach sites. The HouseCalls program prevents families from becoming homeless due to housing condemnation and ensures basic preventive health visits are updated. HouseCalls is a collaboration between West Side Community Health Services and St Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health.

Services

Primary health services include treatment of acute and chronic illness, well-woman and child exams, psychiatry, substance abuse counseling, acupuncture, social service coordination and counseling, TB screening, dental hygiene, pharmacy, ophthalmology, and chiropractic.

The program maintains four Respite Rooms. Medical and dental vouchers provide services at the community health center and local pharmacies. Acupuncturists, Asthma, Behavioral Health Care Services, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Contraceptives (issued w/counseling), Dental Care, Diabetes Testing/Care, Family Planning, Flu Vaccinations, Gynecology, Health/Nutritional Education, Immunizations, Labs, Medical Respite Care, Medications/Prescription, Mental Health Counseling, Multidisciplinary Health Teams, Optometry Services, Pain Management Services, Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Primary Health Care, Referrals for Specialty Care, Specialty Care, TB screening/education, Treatment of Acute Illness, Treatment of Chronic Illness, Well Child Check-ups HouseCalls receives clients through referrals from within the health department.

A HouseCalls social worker conducts a home visit to assess the needs and then develops an action plan with the family. The staff provides transportation to assist the families in completing Well child visits, prenatal care and dental care. In addition, HouseCalls receives local grant funds to provide utility bill payment assistance and sanitation services. In the last 12 months, HouseCalls prevented 309 households from homelessness.

Linkages

Clinical volunteers provide ophthalmology, chiropractic and pharmacy services. Eyeglass prescriptions are filled at discount by a local clinic. A local hospital organizes an annual supply drive of personal hygiene and over-the-counter medications. Project staff participates in numerous community coalitions.

Statistics

Estimated homeless population: 4,800

Patients served: 2,800