Funded through SAMHSA’s Treatment for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness (TIEH) program, New Reach’s Integrated Care Program (ICP), out of New Haven, CT, is a collaborative effort aimed at reducing hospital utilization rates for women who are experiencing homelessness and have a co-occurring substance use and mental health disorder.
The program supports an integrated system that address the lack of appropriate follow-up care upon hospital discharge for the complex issues faced by women experiencing homelessness that often destabilize housing and create cyclical returns to homelessness and the hospital.
The problem extends to long-term psychological, physical, and social issues in addition to significant costs to society when needed services are inappropriately attained. Since the beginning of the project, ICP staff have worked closely with evaluators to ensure the program is working effectively and changes to the program are made using research- and data-based decision making.