Our Mission

Our mission is to remove health issues as barriers to self-sufficiency and upward mobility for homeless women, and as impediments to development and readiness to learn for homeless children, by providing free healthcare and health information that is easily accessible.

Becoming self-sufficient by finding a job and affordable housing is the most effective way out of homelessness. But unattended health issues can cause and will prolong homelessness.Our collaboration with the Salvation Army Center of Hope, the region’s largest shelter for women and children, puts us in a very unique position to make a significant positive impact. The free clinic is embedded within the shelter. Most shelter residents do not have any money, Medicaid or mobility. Most have multiple, unattended health issues. Without the free clinic their conditions would progressively get worse.

Or they would call 911 and go to the Emergency Room with health issues that are not emergencies. A survey of clients showed that 40% would have gone to the ER had the clinic not been present in the shelter. A review of their charts showed that only 13% of these clients would have warranted an ER visit. An estimated more than $250,000 annually is saved in unrecoverable ER costs due to the presence of the clinic within the shelter. The homeless women and children of the Center of Hope shelter truly rely on the free clinic for their healthcare.

Uniquely Qualified

Shelter Health Services is the specialist in providing healthcare to homeless women and children. Our clinic is uniquely positioned and qualified to make a significant impact. Our model of delivering the services to the people who need them the most, have the least access, and cannot afford to pay for them, is very distinctive and innovative.

Location/Impact. Embedded within the shelter that houses the largest concentration of homeless women and children in the County.

Accessibility. Our walk-in clinic is conveniently located within the shelter where our clients live. No appointments are needed. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 to 6:00. Unlimited number of visits offers continuity of care.

Totally free.  Responding to our clients’ lack of money and Medicaid, all services are provided free of any charges, including nursing and provider care, diagnostic labs, tests and screens, prescriptions and OTC medications, immunizations, chronic disease management and health information.

Nonduplicated services. Lacking money, Medicaid and mobility, few clients could seek healthcare at other facilities/providers. Lacking Medicaid, the network of Medicaid services and providers are not available. Lacking money, fee-for-service, “low” cost and sliding scale clinics are unaffordable. Lacking mobility, traveling to other facilities is difficult. Without the free clinic, these women and children would truly lack access to healthcare.

Holistic approach. Early Detection, Aversion & Prevention is our overarching approach to care. Having lacked access to healthcare, our clients have many health issues. Early Detection battery of tests and screens verify existing issues and identify percolating issues below the surface. Aversion detects early signs of issues and intervenes to stop issue onset. Prevention keeps other issues from occurring, getting worse or spreading via health information, immunizations and disease management.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse blend of gender, ethnicity and ages from a variety of professional positions in medical, legal, banking, construction, education, consulting, marketing and entrepreneurial. We thank each for their time and services in setting the vision of the clinic and providing active oversight.

Officers

Iris Smalls Hubbard
Executive Director