10 City Hospitals Commit $2M To Homeless Housing, Services
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City's hospitals announced plans Tuesday to help end homelessness for hundreds of people.
10 hospitals came together to commit money toward permanent housing for hundreds.
"As anchor institutions, it is both our privilege and responsibility to address our neighbor's concerns," said Dr. Redonda Miller, President of Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The hospitals committed $2 million toward housing and services for 200 people experiencing homelessness.
"One-third of our patients have housing insecurity as they come to us with acute health care needs," said UMMC President and CEO Dr. Mohan Suntha.
"Amazing things happen when you root care on the foundation of residential stability. That's what this partnership does," said Kevin Lindamood, President and CEO of Health Care for the Homeless.
The money will go toward eligible Medicaid participants and will provide additional services to ensure they don't return to homelessness.
"What we see happening today is every single hospital in the city is coming together in a partnership with the city of Baltimore and Health Care for the Homeless to say that there is a relationship between health status and housing," Lindamood said.
Tuesday's announcement adds to other programs started recently in Baltimore, including Restoration Gardens 2 along Greenmount Avenue in North Baltimore, which provides 42 apartments for homeless youth complete with support services.
Just last week, Gov. Hogan's office announced a nine and a half percent decrease statewide in homelessness but that's based on one-night counting in January.
The City's Health Care for the Homeless organization said it's tough to say how many people in Baltimore experience homelessness.
"And what we're seeing now is a tremendous growth in men, women and children experiencing homelessness not having a stable place to stay. They may not need that very narrow federal definition that the Census uses," Lindamood said.
The initiative announced Tuesday is already underway.
"We know this initiative makes a difference. It is the right thing to do for our patients. It is the right thing to do for Baltimore," Dr. Miller said.
Mayor Young's staff said these 14 large public housing sites are scattered all over the city.
