Discharge planning strategies for acutely homeless inpatients.
Medical and psychiatric inpatients who become unexpectedly homeless during the course of the hospital stay present an extremely complex and time-consuming challenge to social work staff. The sudden shift from domiciled to undomiciled status creates a crisis for both the patient and the institution. Unanticipated homelessness among inpatients is usually associated with multiple high-risk factors which contribute to the rejection of such patients by numerous community facilities and services. Social workers are under pressure to both effect a timely and safe discharge when acute care ends, and to avoid placing such persons in the shelter system where follow-up care is nonexistent or inadequate. This paper reviews characteristics of persons who become acutely homeless during a hospital admission and suggests approaches which may be used to identify and prevent this perplexing syndrome.
Christ
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Department of Social Work Services, New York Hospital--Westchester Division, White Plains 10605.
Hayden
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SL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003153:Community Health Services; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012948:Social Work Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*