HEALTHCARE & HOMELESSNESS
Anchorage is taking part in an initiative exploring how healthcare systems can help reduce and end chronic homelessness.
Overall aim and strategy
Our goal is to make measurable progress toward ending chronic homelessness, with a focus on health care & equity.
Documents & Links
The Foundation
Commitment
Build sustained belief in and action toward supporting the community to end chronic homelessness Tap for more
Governance
Establish processes and priorities for collaboration, measurement of system performance, & governance Tap for more
The Goal
Housing Placements
Increase housing placements and retention rates for those experiencing chronic homelessness Tap for more
Inflow
Prevent short and long-term inflow of individuals into chronic homelessness Tap for more
The Plan
Holistic System of Care
Work alongside community partners to identify & fill gaps to create an equitable system of care Tap for more
Financial Levers
Establish and build upon financial mechanisms that support the overall system aims for ending chronic homelessness Tap for more
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“We saw the role of the complex care shelter as plucking those individuals out of congregate shelter into a place where they can be better served,”
– David Rittenberg, Senior Director of Adult Homeless Services Catholic Social Services
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Case Study, Community Solutions, Institue of Health Improvement, December 16, 2022
In Anchorage, a Complex Care Shelter Supports Medically Vulnerable People Experiencing Homelessness
Within seven months of conceptualization, the Alaska community was able to open the doors of a complex care shelter for their unhoused neighbors who are medically fragile. Continue Reading…
Commitment
Build sustained belief in and action toward supporting the community to end chronic homelessness.
- Build shared health system buy-in, including from leadership.
- Build & sustain will and clarity around shared community-wide goals and aligned strategies.
- Build trusting relationships with partners in the space.
Governance
Establish processes and priorities for collaboration, measurement of system performance, & governance.
- Create dedicated staffing and oversight within both the health system and CoC to collaborate and manage priority projects.
- Establish platforms for regular collaboration between partners.
- Develop and maintain a data-driven learning system for system improvement.
- Establish standards for advancing racial equity and engaging people with a lived experience of homelessness.
Housing Placements
Increase housing placements and retention rates for those experiencing chronic homelessness.
- Participate in community-wide housing placement processes and help grow capacity & capability within the system.
- Support people in their journey to permanently retain housing.
- When housing availability is the bottleneck, create more housing.
Inflow
Prevent short and long-term inflow of individuals into chronic homelessenss.
- Leverage role as anchor institution to support staff and community well-being to prevent housing instability in the first place.
- Provide or link to housing stabilization services.
- Advocate for and invest in quality, affordable housing.
- Screen for unmet behavioral and social needs and coordinate linkage to supports.
Holistic System of Care
Work alongside community partners to identify & fill gaps to create an equitable system of care.
- Support and contribute to the community-wide quality by-name-list.
- Engage in cross-sector case conferencing in service of individual housing placements and system improvement.
- Establish data sharing with the homelessness system in service of improved care coordination and system-wide planning & improvement.
- Coordinate to document assets and fill gaps in the continuum of care around outreach, health care, medical respite, and housing placements.
- Plan for discharge and transitions in care to connect individuals back to their personal supports or to coordinate entry to the homeless response system.
Financial Levers
Establish and build upon financial mechanisms that support the overall system aims for ending chronic homelessness.
- Strategically fill the unmet financial needs for homelessness response system services.
- Explore financial levers for expanding quality affordable housing & supports.
- Align organizational assets with an anchor mission strategy to end chronic homelessness.
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“We’re addressing the complexity behind experiencing homelessness.
There are so many barriers to accessing housing, and one of them is being medically fragile.”
– Dakota Orm, the Healthcare Integration Director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness
Stakeholders
Links & PowerPoints
What We Do
The Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness is the lead agency for the Anchorage Continuum of Care, and in that capacity, we collaborate with stakeholders and the Homeless Prevention & Response System to better support and invest in the health of our unhoused neighbors.
- Reduce chronic homelessness
- Advocate for equitable systems
- Create new partnerships
- Measure for success
- Promote transferrable learning
- Build a dynamic project portfolio
Office Location
3427 E Tudor Road, Suite A, Anchorage, AK 99507
Open Hours
M-F 8 AM – 4 PM AKST
communications@aceh.org