Transitional Respite Care for the Homeless Program

Partnered with Providence Health Care, the Transitional Respite Care for the Homeless Program provides a warm, safe place for homeless individuals to recover from injury and illness outside of the hospital setting in the greater Spokane, Washington area. Starting in November 2013, a transitional care model was used to facilitate safe discharge from the hospital and provide education and support for health self-management. In addition to respite services, clients are offered access to housing case management, legal services, mental health counseling, and substance abuse intervention. The men in the respite program can stay warm and dry 24 hours a day inside Catholic Charities Spokane's House of Charity or Hope House for women. Three meals a day are provided in addition to non-intensive nursing care and instruction to help individuals take charge of their health and medication management.

The respite program's goal is to stop the revolving door of emergency department treatment by providing a supervised facility with a level of care from an on-site nurse similar to what a patient might receive from an attentive family member.

The program has been able to provide better care for a vulnerable population and reduce overall cost of care by lowering the number of ambulance calls, emergency department visits, and inpatient stays.

Providence started the respite program in November 2013 with just one bed in the Catholic Charities shelter; now there are beds for 24 recuperating patients. In 2014, the program provided about 3,500 nights of care to almost 200 men and women who were discharged from Providence hospitals and other local health care entities in Spokane. It is now a nationally recognized program and 2016 winner of the Catholic Health Association of the United States' highest annual honor — the Achievement Citation.