Access to Healthcare for Homeless Individuals with Disabilities

-

Photo of man in blue clothing giving an old man water
Photo by Sarwer e Kainat Welfare from Pexels.

Healthcare access is still a major obstacle for the homeless, especially those with disabilities. The complexity of homelessness and the obstacles faced by people with disabilities in Oregon and elsewhere pose a serious threat to public health. This blog post examines the particular difficulties and potential solutions to enhance access to healthcare for this vulnerable population.

Unique Healthcare Challenges for Homeless Individuals with Disabilities
A study by Oxford Academic published in "Social Work" highlights several key barriers to healthcare access for homeless individuals with disabilities. These barriers include:

  • Absence of Accessible Services
    Inadequate care results from many healthcare facilities' lack of capacity to address the unique requirements of people with disabilities.
  • Transportation Problems
    It can be challenging for homeless people to regularly attend medical visits since they frequently lack access to dependable transportation.
  • Financial constraints
    Prescription drugs and medical supplies might be prohibitively expensive out of pocket, even with Medicaid.

Portland State University's Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative local research supports these conclusions by highlighting the need for integrated services that address the various needs of the homeless population, especially those with disabilities (PSU).

Possible Remedies
In order to tackle these issues, the following actions could be taken:

  • Funding for Affordable Housing Should Be Increased
    Increasing funding for affordable housing, particularly for people with disabilities, can aid in closing the affordability gap between income and housing expenses. This strategy is in line with the Housing First model supported by the Oregon Department of Human Services (Oregon.gov), which offers temporary financial assistance to homeless people with severe impairments.
  • Improved Service Coordination
    People with disabilities can get comprehensive care that is customized to meet their needs if housing services and support providers work together more closely. Portland State University's HRAC promotes creative methods of helping homeless individuals, stressing the importance of coordinated services that attend to housing and health needs (PSU). The Healthcare for the Homeless Program at Greater Portland Health, which uses a trauma-informed approach and harm reduction to provide primary care, dental care, and mental health support to homeless people, provides an example of this kind of integration.
  • Enhanced Data Collection
    To successfully drive policy and program development, current and reliable data on the healthcare requirements of homeless people with disabilities are required. The data on health inequalities among people with disabilities from Oregon Health & Science University provide a starting point, but ongoing and thorough data gathering is essential for creating healthcare services that are responsive (OHSU).

Increasing the accessibility of healthcare for homeless people with disabilities necessitates a multifaceted strategy that takes into account both urgent needs and structural obstacles. We can best ensure that this vulnerable population obtains the care they require by strengthening service coordination, increasing funding for affordable housing, and augmenting data gathering.

Please visit Greater Portland Health and the Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative at Portland State University for further details and information on how you can assist.

References

Greater Portland Health. 2024. "Healthcare for the Homeless Program." Retrieved May 28, 2024 (https://www.greaterportlandhealth.org).

Oregon Department of Human Services. 2024. "General Assistance Program." Retrieved May 28, 2024 (https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/aging-disability-services/Pages/general-assistance-program.aspx).

Oregon Health & Science University. 2024. "Oregon Disability Health Data and Statistics." Retrieved May 28, 2024 (https://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/oregon-office-on-disability-and-health/index.cfm).

Oxford Academic. 2013. "Healthcare Access for Homeless Individuals with Disabilities." Social Work. Retrieved May 28, 2024 (https://academic.oup.com/sw/article/57/1/23/1933957).

Portland State University. 2024. "Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative." Retrieved May 28, 2024 (https://www.pdx.edu/homelessness-research).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Since 2007, Oregon has "frequently reported the highest rate of unsheltered family homelessness in the nation"

-
Image
It's 2024 you would think we've figured it out. If you live in Portland, you can testify that the houseless situation has become more apparent, but what about Oregon as a state? Oregon hit a record high in homelessness; what does this mean for our future or even the present? Check out the link below to see how it's dated since 2007.  Homelessness in Oregon hits record high in 2023
Read more

Camp Clearing on the West Coast

-
 On The west Coast homelessness is a serious problem. When considering the homeless crises, Los Angeles is one of the places that comes to mind. Homelessness sweeps beyond “Skid Row” in Los Angeles, in fact it has become widespread throughout California. As of July 25 th, 2024, Gov. Newsom has issued an order to remove all homeless camps in the state of California. Will this be beneficial, will it be improving the lives of homeless individuals, or will it be another pointless tax on Californians? Improving to the lives of homeless individuals; appears to be uncertain as far as we know. Gov. Newsom has decided to invest $24 billion to clean up homeless camps. Gov. Newsom said, “We must act with urgency to address dangerous encampments which subject unsheltered individuals living in them to extreme weather, fires, predatory and criminal activity, and widespread substance use, harming their health, safety and well-being, and which also threaten the safety and viability of nearby busin...
Read more

Trump’s Executive Order Freeze Stands to Impact Portland’s Most Vulnerable – Here’s How You Can Help

-
Image
  What Happened? Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 28, 2025 freezing all federal grants and loans. In Oregon, federal funds offer support to crucial programs, meaning the potential fallout is alarming for everyone but especially the most vulnerable residents. Already federal portals used for funding healthcare, education, and social services have become inaccessible, as noted by Governor Tina Kotek. This makes it difficult for Oregon to claim funds needed for the essential services. In a statement by Attorney General Dan Rayfield, he announced that Oregon would join 22 other states and the District of Colombia in a lawsuit. But lawsuits take time, which is something that many vulnerable Oregonians don’t have. What Does This Mean for Portland? Portland relies on federal funds to maintain programs that assist children, families with low-income, and people experiencing homelessness. Head Start , the federally funded early childhood education program, stands to ...
Read more