Medical Respite Program

Medical Respite is non-permanent acute and post-acute care for persons experiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover from illness or injury on the streets but are not ill enough to be in a hospital. By providing a stable and safe place to recover and receive necessary services, medical respite promotes healing and recovery, ultimately disrupting the cycle of homelessness and reducing the need for costly, preventable emergency intervention. Other services offered through Medical Respite include case management, healthcare coordination, meal access, and behavioral health services. The Medical Respite program currently operates at Hallworth House in Providence, RI.

Street Medicine Outreach

In response to the emerging issue of Xylazine, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) quickly mobilized Westbay Community Action to expand a new initiative into the community, focusing on mobile wound care and street outreach services. A partnership was formed with Westbay Community Action and Alert Healthcare to plan for and implement stigma-free street outreach medicine as part of the Medical Respite program. Our street outreach is comprised of two teams of two. Each team has an RN or an LPN and a social worker. We are also contracted with a Nurse Practitioner for 10 hours per week to assist with high-level needs. An essential component of this service is coordinating with peer organizations that organize dates and times for visits with clients in need and prepare clients for receiving services. Individuals and/or peer harm reduction organizations can contact the team directly by calling 774-991-5031, Monday – Thursday, 8 am until 6 pm.