Why Should NYC Hospitals Screen Patients for Housing Status?

 

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Many times throughout the course of these blog posts, we have documented the various medical issues that homeless New York City students and their families are vulnerable to and why. From this information, you could correctly infer that individuals experiencing homelessness are more reliant on the city’s hospital emergency departments than their stably housed peers. What you may not realize is that some hospitals neglect to screen for housing status, which could affect patients’ long-term health and overall well being. This blog post will discuss why NYC hospitals should screen patients for their housing status and the consequences of not doing so. 

Do NYC Hospitals Screen Patients for Housing Status? 

Generally speaking, hospitals in New York City screen patients for housing status. This is particularly true of hospitals that work with initiatives like Housing for Health and NYC Health + Hospitals. The latter alone operates the following 11 hospitals [1]: 

• Bellevue Hospital Center 
• Elmhurst Hospital Center 
• Harlem Hospital 
• Jacobi Medical Center 
• Kings County Hospital Center 
• Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center 
• Metropolitan Hospital Center 
• North Central Bronx Hospital 
• Queens Hospital Center 
• South Brooklyn Health/Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospital 
• Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center 

What Happens If NYC Hospitals Don’t Screen Patients for Housing Status? 

Not having a safe, reliable place to call home can be, and is, hazardous to one’s health, as these blog posts have documented many times. Homeless New Yorkers are entitled to a wide array of free services, but if a hospital were to not screen its patients for their housing statuses, those homeless New Yorkers could miss out on opportunities to improve their lifespans, economic and educational prospects, access to food and health care, and their general safety. [2] Lacking these opportunities, homeless patients will become more susceptible to serious recurring and/or chronic illnesses, conditions and disorders, such as:

• Respiratory illness and asthma 
• Pre- and post-natal complications 
• Hypertension, heart attack and stroke 
• Depression and other mental health disorders 
• Increased likelihood of engaging in dangerous behaviors
• Reduced academic potential 
• Missed school or work days 

What Benefits Can Hospitals Refer The Homeless To? 

Each hospital and initiative will differ in the services they can provide. Nonetheless, the services offered through NYC Health + Hospitals include, but are not limited to, the following:  

• Acquiring “supportive, affordable, and market-rate housing” and rental subsidies
• Medical respite beds for frail patients 
• Assistance with accessing benefits
• Referrals to local food pantries and employment services 
• Coordinated care 

If you or someone you know is homeless and in need of these and other services, call 311 (also available here) or contact Housing for Health. 

Contact Mentor A Promise Today 

Our organization recognizes the immense potential within each individual and seeks to provide them with the educational resources and opportunities they need to thrive. To that end, we have built a strong network of family shelters, educational institutions and community organizations to support homeless children, youths and their families. Click these links to learn more about what we offer or to get involved. Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness.