For nearly thirty years, Care for the Homeless has waged a battle on the crisis of displaced individuals by delivering physical, medical, mental and behavioral health services to those impacted in the New York City area.
Care for the Homeless
More than treating the symptoms, Care for the Homeless is working to eradicate homelessness through its services and policy advocacy.
Care for the Homeless has been very appreciative of Smith Medical Partners’ efforts to connect with them. “They understand our needs and have been able to meet them.” Benjamin stated. “They’ve been very accommodating.”
To reduce the barriers that the homeless face in accessing its resources, Care for the Homeless coordinates healthcare services at 33 sites. These co-located facilities are shared with soup kitchens, shelters, drop in centers and other areas were the homeless congregate or seek resources. “We strive to make healthcare accessible during this transitional period of their life.” explained Assistant Clinical Administrator Benjamin Rinn. “When homeless people are displaced from their neighborhood of origin, their focus is on seeking shelter and food, not healthcare and social services.”
Through medical services for both adults and children, Care for the Homeless strives to reduce the lapse in care and records. “A lack of routine care or documentation can often act as another barrier in the transition to permanent housing.” said Benjamin. “This is especially prevalent for children in the educational system.”
The Relationship
After an administration building relocation last year, Care for the Homeless encountered logistical challenges with updating their account and addresses with the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA). Their previous wholesaler was unable to ship to all their locations, requiring bulk shipments to be sent to one address and then distributed to the individual locations. Even more significantly, the HRSA records connecting Care for the Homeless to 340B pricing was also lost in the relocation. The result of this disruption was a depletion of Care for the Homeless’ vaccination inventory.
Unaware of the challenges Care for the Homeless was facing, Smith Medical Partners’ Kim Farrell reached out on a cold call with immunization product information. The well-timed inquiry developed into a full-blown solution for Care for the Homeless’ vaccination needs. Kim worked with Care for the Homeless to overcome the 340B pricing and shipment location discrepancies. “Kim’s desire to work with us was evident.” described Ben. “It took several points of contact to resolve our eligibility and address information, but she diligently monitored the process.”
The Success
In early 2012, Care for the Homeless officially became a Smith Medical Partners customer. The same day the paperwork was cleared, Smith Medical Partners rushed a much needed bulk shipment of vaccines to Care for the Homeless’ largest facility to restore its inventory. “Smith Medical Partners helped us get caught back up.” said Benjamin. “The response was immediate.”
Care for the Homeless has been very appreciative of Smith Medical Partners’ efforts to connect with them. “They understand our needs and have been able to meet them.” Benjamin stated. “They’ve been very accommodating.”
Smith Medical partners looks forward to continuing to support this relevant and passionate non-profit organization in its battle against homelessness.
