Find Resources
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Toolkit
The Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response offers guidance on utilizing funding sources like the CARES Act to address homelessness during the pandemic. It aims to conduct emergency measures while planning for recovery. The framework emphasizes racial justice and requires coordination among partners and systems. It is regularly updated and provides tools and resources. For individuals experiencing homelessness, local 2-1-1 hotlines can provide assistance.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This article discusses the challenges of contact tracing among people experiencing homelessness. It suggests combining the traditional person-based approaches to contact tracing with location-based contact tracing approaches when conducting investigations among unhoused individuals. Location-based approaches collect data on the places people have visited in the past 48 hours, rather than the individuals with whom they interacted. Facility-wide testing and resources can be provided in locations where someone accessed support services.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This article identifies levels of vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among people experiencing homelessness. It gives public health practitioners information on ways to address the relatively higher levels of hesitancy among this population and encourages logistical barriers such as transportation to be addressed as part of a larger strategy.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study
The El Bari Clinic launched a telemedicine initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce in-person visits and reduce transportation as a barrier to accessing health care. This cases study notes that the clinic offers patient-centered and culturally competent care to under and uninsured community members, which largely includes working-class ethnic minorities.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This review examines major reasons for vaccine hesitancy among immigrants without documentation, particularly around lack of access to information, language barriers, and work conflicts, and fear of government/immigration services. The paper also discusses solutions to overcome vaccine hesitancy, particularly government stakeholders providing culturally and linguistically responsive information and education about COVID-19 and vaccines, and partnering with trusted community-based organizations.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Summary Report/Recommendations
This article describes the implementation of telemental health services within the Veterans Health Administration before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article identifies strategies the VHA has used to reach hard to reach populations, including unhoused veterans and veterans living in rural communities, and outlines future goals to improve and expand access to telemental health services.
Best Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes when implemented in multiple real-life settings, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study, Peer Review Study
Practice strategy involves including unhoused peer ambassadors in outreach plans to encourage vaccination against Covid-19 in homeless encampments/shelters. Peer ambassadors were found to be effective in promoting vaccination among their peers. However, some concerns existed around the ethics of exploiting the trust unhoused PAs had with their communities, as well as apathy and frustration towards the academic and bureaucratic nature of the research study.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study, Key Informant Interview
This case study discusses how Hawaii’s Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) partnered with state housing services to organize isolation and quarantine services for people experiencing homelessness. This department also focused on substance use disorder and mental illness, so they worked to build partnerships with treatment centers that individuals could enter after quarantine. The BHA has also focused on braiding funding sources between substance use disorder and homelessness efforts to provide more wraparound services and combat the siloization of different departments.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study
This paper describes how a local public health agency joined a multi-sector community partnership made up of community-based organizations, clinical providers, and peer navigators and others with lived experience of homelessness. Together, this group created a strategic plan to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on people experiencing homelessness. They prioritized education, increased resource allocation and testing in shelters, and slated housing for those who tested positive or those at increased risk of COVID complications. Most of this work took place in shelters.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This study examines the challenges of using community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 brings unique challenges to this approach due to social distancing and the closure of key community organizations. They identify three key challenges: flexibility to pivot when needed, inequity in research participation, and the well-being of the research team. The study focuses on impacts for immigrant and communities of color and examines intersectionality’s with age and gender.