United Health Foundation, Partnership for Strong Communities to Expand Program Connecting Health Services
and Housing for People Struggling with Homelessness
- $300,000 grant by United Health Foundation to help Partnership for Strong Communities
expand the Opening Doors-CT Hospital Initiative, coordinating a network of Community Care Teams in Connecticut
- CCTs focus on identifying people with complex health and social issues who are frequent
users of hospital emergency department services, and connecting them to housing and other services
- 40 percent of frequent visitors to emergency rooms in Connecticut are homeless or
suffering from housing insecurity
United Health Foundation today donated $300,000 to help Partnership for Strong Communities (PSC) expand the Opening Doors-CT
Hospital Initiative, coordinating a network of Community Care Teams (CCTs) in five additional Connecticut hospitals by the end of
2017.
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Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy speaks during a forum on homelessness where United Health Foundation announced a
$300,000 grant to Partnership for Strong Communities to expand the Opening Doors-CT Hospital Initiative, which connects people
experiencing homelessness who are frequent users of hospital emergency departments with housing and other services. L to R: Gov.
Malloy; Tina Brown-Stevenson, United Health Foundation board member; Alicia Woodsby, executive director, Partnership for Strong
Communities; Terri DiPietro, CCT member, director, Outpatient Behavioral Health at Middlesex Hospital; and Steve Farrell, CEO,
UnitedHealthcare of New England (Photo: Alan Grant).
The grant supports the Opening Doors-CT Hospital Initiative, which works to connect people experiencing homelessness who are
frequent users of hospital emergency departments with housing and other services. An early study by the Initiative showed that 40
percent of frequent visitors to emergency departments are homeless or struggle with housing insecurity. Though homelessness in
Connecticut has decreased in recent years, in 2015 there were nearly 11,000 people struggling with homelessness throughout the
state, according to the Connecticut Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS).
The Initiative assists in coordinating CCTs, which are teams of health care, housing and social service providers who work
together to identify people with complex health and social issues who frequently use hospital emergency departments in order to
access primary health care services. CCTs connect people to housing and other much-needed services, help care providers create
flexible and individualized care plans for clients, and enhance ownership of patient care by hospital staff.
The Opening Doors-CT Hospital Initiative, led by PSC and the Connecticut Hospital Association, began in 2014 with four CCTs
operating in five hospitals across the state. A core component of the expansion will include establishing a Learning Collaborative
with key partners to share best practices, developing online resources, and a qualitative and quantitative program analysis.
Terri DiPietro, a CCT member at Middlesex Hospital, sees firsthand the difference they are making in their community. “All of
us, from hospital staff and housing providers to mental health professionals, are able to coordinate and make sure a patient is
getting services and not falling through the cracks of the system. By meeting regularly to discuss cases and communicating vital
health data in a timely manner, we can work together to make sure a client has everything he or she needs to recover.”
The grant announcement was made during the final forum in PSC’s annual IForum series, sponsored by United Health Foundation. The
final forum brought together approximately 150 community leaders, including Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy, homeless advocates and
health care professionals to discuss innovative ways to increase access to care.
“Through the work of so many community-based organizations and partners like United Health Foundation, we are working to bring
more care and support to people who need it most,” said Gov. Malloy. “We’ve set high goals to end homelessness, and it is through
programs and partnerships like this that we are delivering real progress.”
“Stable housing is a key component to reducing the number of emergency department visits, because without a safe, secure home to
go to after hospitalization or treatment, people cannot recover and get back on their feet,” said Alicia Woodsby, executive
director, Partnership for Strong Communities. “This initiative, supported through the generosity of partners like United Health
Foundation, will provide valuable resources to expand the reach of CCTs and improve the care for our most vulnerable
populations.”
“Expanding this program with the help of the Opening Doors-CT Hospital Initiative will help provide care for the thousands of
men and women throughout Connecticut who are struggling with homelessness and health care,” said Tina Brown-Stevenson, United
Health Foundation board member. “United Health Foundation is grateful for the opportunity to support area hospitals and the
networks of people and services throughout Connecticut who are helping to care for our most vulnerable.”
About Partnership for Strong Communities
The Partnership for Strong Communities is a statewide nonprofit policy and advocacy organization dedicated to preventing and ending
homelessness, expanding the creation of affordable housing, and building strong communities in Connecticut. Learn more at
www.pschousing.org.
About United Health Foundation
Through collaboration with community partners, grants and outreach efforts, United Health Foundation works to improve our health
system, build a diverse and dynamic health workforce and enhance the well-being of local communities. United Health Foundation was
established by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation dedicated to improving health and
health care. To date, United Health Foundation has committed more than $285 million to programs and communities around the world.
We invite you to learn more at www.unitedhealthfoundation.org or follow @UHGGives on Twitter or Facebook.com/UHGGives.
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Partnership for Strong Communities
Wendy Kohn, 860-244-0066
wendy@pschousing.org
or
United Health Foundation
L.D. Platt, 202-654-8830
LD_Platt@uhg.com
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