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Chapter 9: Integrated Health Care <br />• Expanding clinical coverage geographically. <br />• Eliminating system-wide and agency-specific policies and procedures <br />that deter homeless people. _ <br />• Ensuring each homeless person has a primary provider and that <br />information is centralized with that provider. <br />• Redirecting resources from programs serving few homeless people to - <br />those serving many. <br />• Requiring consumers to participate and help evaluate services that are <br />County-funded or contracted by the County. - <br />• Expand the provision of health, mental health and AOD services where homeless <br />and formerly homeless people receive housing and other services _ <br />Action Stens <br />Support programs that provide an array of services to homeless people in <br />housing which have been proven to be cost effective and successful at ending <br />the cycle of homelessness. _ <br />Advocate for public policy and funding changes that integrate and streamline <br />public resources for these services. <br />Topic 2 Prevention and Early Intervention <br />Homelessness and disability are often a vicious circle. An acute mental health episode or - <br />medical crisis may lead to homelessness. Homelessness may heighten, or bring on mental <br />illness, increase the likelihood of developing substance addiction, or expose people to greater <br />risks of HIV and other health risks. Substance abuse may lead to loss of housing due to lack - <br />of income to support the addiction and remain housed, or lack of interest in remaining housed. <br />But homelessness may also lead to substance abuse, as homeless people attempt to self- <br />medicate and escape the difficulties of homelessness. Early intervention can slow or prevent ~~ <br />that progression. This not only can reduce costs to the health care system, but to the homeless <br />service system as well. Early intervention may be intended to prevent homelessness among <br />those with disabilities or in treatment, or to prevent the development or worsening of <br />disabilities and medical issues among those who are homeless. <br />Alameda County-Wide Homeless Continuum of Care Plan: April 1997 _ <br />118 <br />