Making Sure Health Reform Benefits the Most Vulnerable

On October 18, Heartland Alliance for Human Rights & Human Needs convened a meeting to begin a statewide discussion focused on the use of Medicaid funding for health and prevention services in current supportive housing programs. This discussion is timely and essential, given the recent passage of Healthcare Reform and increased federal interest in and support for homeless services. Supportive housing programs focus on the link between health and homelessness, providing wrap-around services, such as physical and mental health services, along with housing for chronically homeless individuals with multiple barriers.

Karen Batia (upper left photo), Associate Executive Director of Heartland Health Outreach (HHO), initiated this conversation through outreach to Jennifer Ho (lower right photo, center), Deputy Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. Heartland Alliance staff was by joined Michelle Saddler (right), Chief of Staff to Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, John Bouman (left), President of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, and other state and city stakeholders invested in health, homelessness, and supportive housing.

Karen Batia opened by sharing best practices learned through HHO's Pathways Home program, a permanent supportive housing program, which use a blend of funding. including Medicaid, to increase their total service capacity.

The meeting discussed the current state of supportive housing and Medicaid in Illinois, current services that could be considered medical, and possible strategies for structuring programs. Ms. Ho provided the current state of federal prerogatives around homeless services across federal agencies. Concerns were also discussed such as enrollment issues, implications on overemphasis on medical services, and Medicaid certification.

Participants across the private and public sector were positively engaged and excited to continue the discussion. Likewise, Ms. Ho expressed her excitement and support of efforts in Illinois. Heartland Alliance looks forward to continuing discussions with our planning partners Corporation for Supportive Housing, Aids Foundation of Chicago, Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness, the Polk Brothers Foundation, and the City pf Chicago, as well as Ms. Ho, state, and city stakeholders around improving and expanding supportive housing services statewide.

Heartland Alliance's Policy & Advocacy division is ensuring through forums such as this one that the most vulnerable in our society are protected in the implmentation of health care reform in Illinois. As part of this work, Heartland Alliance's Director of Policy & Advocacy, Gina Guillemette, recently provided testimony to the Governor's Health Reform Implementation Council.