2008 Woodie Awards
Charity provides homeless with healthcare
Issue date: 5/1/08
The new building will allow for new services including Maryland's first dental program for homeless children and adults as well as a pediatric center for homeless children.
The new facility is expected to help an increased number of homeless when it opens in January 2010. The new building will also allow the social workers to help more homeless people get the help they need and find affordable long-term housing more proficiently.
Most benefactors of the organization are on 10-year plans that include permanent housing, a consistent job and affordable health care.
The Baltimore city project also funds four surrounding counties and directs Health Care for the Homeless projects throughout Maryland, eventually helping 9,000 homeless children and adults.
Health Care for the Homeless is consistently and persistently broadening and strengthening its programs.
For example, a pilot program serving 100 people, which started less than three years ago, is now government-funded to provide the homeless with housing immediately.
"Housing is not a reward but a human right," Kevin Lindamood said, "and that is why the program put folks directly in housing and then offered very intensive services. Participation in services was not a prerequisite for housing."
Health Care for the Homeless is tackling the homeless problem, not "managing" homelessness, according to Lindamood.
"For too long [the government] has looked at [homelessness] as the fault of an individual," Lindamood said.
Hopkins is rooted in the organization, as one of the founding board members was a Hopkins psychiatrist.
Although no students are currently involved in the charity, Health Care for the Homeless has had volunteers from Hopkins undergraduate and graduate schools, especially from psychology graduate student rotations.
Students interested in public health, social work or generally interested in improving Baltimore city first-hand can contact Health Care for the Homeless via their Web site, http://www.hshmd.org, or send an e-mail to: info@hchmd.org.
The new facility is expected to help an increased number of homeless when it opens in January 2010. The new building will also allow the social workers to help more homeless people get the help they need and find affordable long-term housing more proficiently.
Most benefactors of the organization are on 10-year plans that include permanent housing, a consistent job and affordable health care.
The Baltimore city project also funds four surrounding counties and directs Health Care for the Homeless projects throughout Maryland, eventually helping 9,000 homeless children and adults.
Health Care for the Homeless is consistently and persistently broadening and strengthening its programs.
For example, a pilot program serving 100 people, which started less than three years ago, is now government-funded to provide the homeless with housing immediately.
"Housing is not a reward but a human right," Kevin Lindamood said, "and that is why the program put folks directly in housing and then offered very intensive services. Participation in services was not a prerequisite for housing."
Health Care for the Homeless is tackling the homeless problem, not "managing" homelessness, according to Lindamood.
"For too long [the government] has looked at [homelessness] as the fault of an individual," Lindamood said.
Hopkins is rooted in the organization, as one of the founding board members was a Hopkins psychiatrist.
Although no students are currently involved in the charity, Health Care for the Homeless has had volunteers from Hopkins undergraduate and graduate schools, especially from psychology graduate student rotations.
Students interested in public health, social work or generally interested in improving Baltimore city first-hand can contact Health Care for the Homeless via their Web site, http://www.hshmd.org, or send an e-mail to: info@hchmd.org.
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