Friday, December 13, the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting and grand opening event on behalf of Homeless Services Center and County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency Homeless Persons’ Health Project for a new Homeless Recuperative Care Center. The event will be from noon to 1pm at Page Smith Community House at Homeless Services Center at 119 Coral St, Santa Cruz (street parking only; carpooling advised; optional RSVPs to jabramson@santacruzhsc.org):
12:00 - 12:15 Light Refreshments & Music by Jay Pierre Alvarez
12:15 - 12:35 Welcome Address, Recognition of Supporters, and Program Overview
12:35 - 12:40 Ceremonial Blessing & Ribbon Cutting
12:40 - 1:00 Guided Tours & Music by Jay Pierre Alvarez
The Recuperative Care Center (RCC) is a new program featuring 12 beds for individuals experiencing homelessness in need of a supportive place to recover after being discharged from local hospitals. The RCC is a collaborative effort of Homeless Services Center, Homeless Persons’ Health Project, and other medical and social service partners. The primary objective of the RCC is to break the cycle of long-term homelessness for many individuals, while saving our local health care system millions of dollars. By pairing the RCC with HSC's Page Smith transitional housing, the RCC provides the best opportunity to intervene in the lives of chronically homelessness individuals, to address issues such as mental illness and substance abuse that are a part of chronic homelessness, and to move the individuals into long-term housing rather than back onto the street.
As defined by HUD, a chronically homeless individual is someone who has experienced homelessness for a year or longer, or at least four episodes of homelessness in the last three years, and has a disability. In the most recent 2013 Santa Cruz County Homeless Census and Survey, Applied Survey Research reported that 989 individuals are chronically homeless in Santa Cruz County, and 68% of all respondents said they had a disabling condition.
The Homeless Recuperative Care Center of Santa Cruz is modeled off of successful respite programs in Santa Clara County, Los Angeles, and Seattle, WA. There are over 65 such programs throughout the nation.
Martina S. O'Sullivan, MSW, Director for Community Engagement for Dignity Health Dominican Hospital, says, "When a homeless person is hospitalized, it usually means that there is more than one medical emergency going on for that individual. It may also mean that the person has waited a very long time to take care of the medical emergency. Dignity Health Dominican Hospital recognizes the value of being involved with the Homeless Services Center and the Homeless Persons Health Project. Through this collaboration, which supports the Recuperative Care Center, homeless individuals may be discharged from the Hospital to the Homeless Services Center and be cared for by the medical team from the Homeless Persons Health Project, A Federally Qualified Health Clinic. The Recuperative Care Center is a perfect example of how Dignity Health Dominican Hospital’s partnering with the community ensures the continuum of medical care for our patients."
Founded in 1986, the mission of Homeless Services Center is to provide both emergency and transitional services to homeless individuals and families that will enable our clients to achieve self-sufficiency. Over the years, Homeless Services Center’s programs have expanded with community support, and remain intent on moving individuals and families out of homelessness into stable housing. Most recently, HSC has strategically focused its efforts on data-driven solutions to i) increase the rate at which participants end their homelessness; and ii) reduce chronic homelessness in Santa Cruz County. For additional information, contact Homeless Services Center or visit www.santacruzhsc.org.