Procurement Of Housing In Depressed, African-American Homeless Patients In A Large Urban Federally Qualified Health Center: A Pilot To Improve Workflow Processes, Identify Best Practices And Impact Outcomes

Abstract

Homelessness is a chronic issue in the United States (US)-impacting individuals from every socio-economic class. African Americans in the US disproportionately experience rates of homelessness higher than those in the general population. These individuals are vulnerable to poor physical and chronic mental health problems, chief among them is depression. African-American homeless individuals have high rates of depression and experience disparities in utilization and access to health care. To address this problem within a healthcare systems level context, this Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) project examined the association between homelessness and depression in African-Americans. A pilot project focused on the targeted and efficient procurement of housing in depressed, homeless African-American patients in a large urban Federally Qualified Health Center was implemented. The project is a first, exploratory step in an initiative to improve workflow processes, identify best practices, and impact clinical outcomes in this highly vulnerable group of patients