CDC Foundation and NIMRC award nearly $1 million to medical respite care programs in five states to strengthen behavioral health

February 28, 2022

In partnership with the CDC Foundation, the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) has awarded $953,000 and two years of technical assistance to five programs nationwide to integrate behavioral health services and medical care to unhoused people who are medically vulnerable. Over the next two years, programs will receive support in their efforts to improve health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness and, ultimately, to help them obtain permanent, stable housing.

Medical respite care is acute and post-acute care for people experiencing homelessness who are too sick or frail to recover from an illness or injury on the streets or in a shelter, but no longer require hospital-level care. This short-term residential care allows individuals experiencing homelessness the opportunity to rest, recover, and heal in a safe environment while accessing medical care and other supportive services. Funding and technical assistance help programs identify and reduce barriers in delivering behavioral health services while COVID-19 persists.

The five recipient programs are:

• Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington (Spokane, Wash.)
• Madison Urban Ministry/JustDane (Madison, Wis.)
• HOPE Hospitality & Warming Center (Pontiac, Mich.)
• Bob Tavani House (Duluth, Minn.)
• Joseph’s Home and Mary’s Home (Cleveland, Ohio)

This is the second flight of funding awarded by NIMRC in partnership with the CDC Foundation. In 2021, nine programs across the U.S. shared $1.6 million to support their medical respite care services.

“Medical respite care plays a critical role in delivering health care to some of our most vulnerable neighbors, and ultimately in moving them into housing,” said Bobby Watts, CEO of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council and director of its NIMRC initiative. “We are excited to continue our partnership with the CDC Foundation to help these award recipients grow their programs and their capacity to serve.”