The demand for these paramedics has increased in many domains of health and human services, with outreach to those grappling with homelessness being one of them. Homeless outreach paramedics are uniquely equipped to help people experiencing homelessness for several reasons: they know the community, have the ability to treat physical illness, and can play a pivotal role in referral programs.
How Paramedics Are Helping With the Homelessness Crisis
This article has two purposes. First, we want to inform people about what’s happening in EMS nationwide. This allows agencies to stay up to date on the latest health trends and, hopefully, chart a better course for the future.
Second, we want to inspire communities that might want to start their own programs to combat homelessness. From this article, you will learn some of the strategies and methods mobile integrated healthcare teams employ to achieve real results and get people the help they need.
Here is what we’ll cover:
- The Reason Paramedics Are Uniquely Equipped to Help the Homeless
- The Importance of Physical Assessment and Care When Helping the Homeless
- Paramedics Can Help with Substance-Related Issues (Addiction and Overdose)
- Paramedics can Provide Active Referrals to Emergency Housing for Homeless People
- Homeless Outreach Paramedics Can Connect People to Social Workers and Mental Health Professionals
Alright, let’s have a closer look at these ideas.
The Reason Paramedics Are Uniquely Equipped to Help the Homeless
Helping someone homeless is not always logistically that simple. In many homeless outreach programs, the burden falls on the person who is struggling to reach out to them. It’s easy for people to assume that a trip across town to a shelter or food pantry is not a big deal, but for someone homeless, this can be nearly impossible.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with a model that requires people to travel, it can leave some people behind.
That’s where homeless outreach paramedics come in. These paramedics are grounded in their communities and know the most vulnerable people who have the most trouble accessing the help they need. This could mean that the person is struggling with a substance addiction, it could mean that they have untreated mental health struggles, or they have compounding chronic illnesses that inhibit their ability to travel.
In these cases, paramedics have two key advantages. First, they have the skills to address the physical needs of the person struggling with homelessness. It could be that, before the person can take steps to find stable housing, they need to be treated at the hospital for an uncontrolled illness.
Second, paramedics are mobile. This means they can go to places where they know homeless people may need help, assess them, and provide transport to a place where they can get help (shelter, crisis center, etc.).
Homeless outreach paramedics have the street smarts that give them an edge when helping those who find themselves in vulnerable situations. Not only that, but paramedics are trusted and respected members of the community who people know are there to help.
The Importance of Physical Assessment and Care When Helping a Homeless Person
Let’s begin by discussing the physical assessment and why it is so important. Many homeless people are struggling with chronic illnesses. Homelessness only makes things worse. When it comes to physical care, it’s a three-lane street.
In the one lane, a homeless person who is sick will have a very hard time finding any stable housing. On the other hand, if someone becomes seriously ill, they may find it more difficult to hold a job or maintain strong social connections, which can lead to homelessness. Finally, being homeless will only make a mild sickness more severe.
For all these reasons, paramedics are in a unique position to reach out, make contact with people who are struggling, and make a difference.
Paramedics Can Help with Substance-Related Issues (Addiction and Overdose)
While certainly not all people struggling with stable housing have issues with substance abuse, there is no doubt that these two things can go hand in hand. Those who have severe struggles with substance addiction can find themselves at greater risk of homelessness. At the same time, those who are constantly living under the stress of homelessness may also turn to substances as a way to cope.
Each person’s situation is different. Under the Mobile Integrated Healthcare framework, everyone is treated as an individual. This is especially true when trying to reach those struggling with homelessness or unstable housing.
Let’s list a few of the resources that a paramedic can offer a homeless person who may be dealing with drug addiction. First, the paramedic can respond and stabilize any immediate life threats. That means that, if the person has overdosed or is having any other negative side effects, the paramedic can help correct this in the short term.
After helping stabilize someone who may have overdosed, typically a paramedic would transport them to the ER, and that would be it; however, under the MIH model, the paramedic can then offer a second kind of treatment. These secondary treatments focus more on the long term and include connecting them with a rehab facility, referring them to a specialist, or providing follow-up visits in the days after the incident.
While there are many kinds of help that a paramedic can offer someone homeless and struggling with addiction, the overarching goal is to avoid the snapshot care approach and look at the picture from up close and a thousand feet away.
Paramedics Can Provide Active Referrals to Emergency Housing for Homeless People
There are housing programs in various cities and municipalities that act as a safety net for people who have fallen into unstable housing. In most cases, paramedics (and the emergency medical services they work for) do not have the resources to house people. What they are more likely to do is act as a reliable go-between for people who are struggling and places that could help.
Let’s look at an example of how this would work. In the community, on an evening with particularly concerning weather (extreme cold, rain, etc.), a community paramedic team is patrolling the streets in areas where they have encountered homeless people in the past. The team knows the area well and knows how to find people who may be at risk.
Once the team finds someone who may be at risk, they can take several courses of action. First, they ensure the person is not experiencing any immediate medical emergencies. Then, they can do one of several options.
They can start by telling the person where the shelter/crisis center is located. Depending on where it is, the person may be able to access it themselves or may need assistance getting there. If they need assistance getting to the shelter, the paramedic can either take them themselves (if they have the proper vehicle and protocols) or contact the shelter, which may then send a cab/bus to pick up the person in need of care.
The method used will depend on the resources available, the level of need, and careful evaluation of the person in crisis. No matter the specifics, the paramedic plays the same role: a street-smart health provider who knows where these people are, what they need, and where to send them.
Homeless Outreach Paramedics Can Connect People to Social Workers and Mental Health Professionals
Another thing that paramedics can do is connect potentially homeless people with social workers and mental health professionals. We use the word “potentially” with intention, as the time to help someone with unstable housing is before they end up on the streets.
With this in mind, paramedics can start correcting the problem before it begins. How? When paramedics respond to 911 calls (or act as community paramedics), they can add a few simple questions to their report. A few of these questions might include, “Have you been recently worried that you or your family won’t have a safe place to sleep at night?”
If the person indicates that they’ve been concerned about their housing situation, then the paramedic can do two things. First, they can provide the person with resources before they end up homeless. Second, they can connect them with a social worker who intimately understands the system and can help guide the person to more stable housing.
This also holds with mental health struggles. If a homeless person has significant mental health issues, the paramedic can then refer them to a professional who can offer real help.
Conclusion: The Importance of Actively Helping the Homeless (And Why Paramedics Can Make an Impact)
A community that cares for those who face homelessness is a community that wants to build safety, trust, and human kindness into its DNA. On the flip side, those communities that choose to ignore homelessness will find that everyone ends up worse off.
Paramedics are in a unique position to help those who are homeless or worried about unstable housing. They can approach people on the street, assess them for health issues, and refer them to professional organizations that offer safety and hope.
Contact Julota for information on how their integrated platforms can help connect your homelessness outreach program with other community partners.
