Lessons from the field: How health care and homeless service providers partner for action

More than 70 California homelessness and health experts came together in Oakland last fall to share ideas and spotlight innovative programs aimed at alleviating immediate distress and devising practical structures that can be scaled up to meet growing needs. This report describes the convening and highlights a few of the projects and participants.

The initiative’s aims are threefold. First, it encourages collaboration between health care and homelessness service organizations by supporting eight P4A pilot teams in counties throughout the state that are pursuing unique, locally-tailored approaches to problem solving. Second, the initiative equips pilot teams to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the California Advancing and Innovating MediCal  (CalAIM) program and the resources available through the Providing Access and Transforming Health (PATH) program. And finally, P4A aims to spread best practices related to health care and homelessness across California and nationally.