DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Hospice and Palliative Care for People Experiencing Homelessness
SUMMARY:
On August 2, 2019, Councilman Manny Pel?ez submitted a Council Consideration Request (CCR) proposing that City staff develop a plan to offer and enhance palliative and hospice care services for people who are homeless in San Antonio.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The CCR submitted by Councilman Pel?ez notes that each year, people who are homeless, including military veterans, die due to a terminal illness. Although there is not a comprehensive database of homeless people who die of illness that could have required hospice or palliative care at the end of life, we know from working with provider agencies and faith groups that the issue is, unfortunately, not rare. In addition, emergency shelters are often not an appropriate setting to provide the level of intensive care required to treat or alleviate symptoms of terminal illness.
According to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, "homelessness can contribute to poorer health outcomes by exacerbating existing conditions and creating new ones." Due to the many challenges people who are homeless often face (e.g. stress, access to health care), the average life expectancy of chronically homeless people is about 12 years less than the general population. Research has also found that advance care programs are less accessible to people experiencing homelessness.
ISSUE:
The CCR submitted by Councilman Pel?ez proposes that San Antonio develop a palliative and hospice care program informed by other programs' best practices and benchmarked metrics. Other cities, including San Diego, Sacramento, and Salt Lake City, have nonprofit programs that focus on end of life health care for people who are homeless. Because of the complexities and many partnerships needed to assist clients, a collaborative approach is essential...
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