Thursday, August 13th 6:30-7:15 p.m.: Homelessness amid a global pandemic
As families and businesses in Utah began adapting to self-quarantine and stay-at-home orders, one question remained: How can you stay at home if you’re homeless? Suffering through the symptoms of coronavirus while on the streets is one thing; but many men, women and families seek shelter at homeless resource centers, where social distancing can be nonexistent. Additionally, experiencing homelessness most often leads to a downward spiral of declining health, putting individuals who are homeless at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Chronic diseases often go untreated when you’re homeless, due to lack of health care coverage, access to ongoing prescription medication, or overwhelming complexity of receiving treatment.
Join Janida Emerson, CEO, and Dr. Michele Goldberg, Medical Director from Fourth Street Clinic; and David Litvack, Senior Policy Advisor, Salt Lake City Corporation on August 13. This virtual panel discusses the community health center’s response to COVID-19 among vulnerable and homeless populations.
Thursday, August 20th 6:30-7:15 p.m.: New approaches to addressing mental illness
Nearly a third of individuals experiencing homelessness in the US report having a serious mental illness, and having an untreated mental illness is often a leading cause to becoming homeless. Providing these men, women and children with ongoing care in an environment they feel safe isn’t easy, and the cost of treatment and needed medications make receiving mental health services nearly impossible for low-income or homeless individuals.
Fourth Street Clinic’s new integrated behavioral health program takes a new, holistic approach to treating patients at the downtown community health center.
Jamie Bustamante, Ph.D., Behavioral Health Director of Fourth Street Clinic, shares new approaches to tackling mental illness among vulnerable populations. David Huntsman, philanthropist and advocate of mental health resources; and Brent Kelsey, Assistant Director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health join the panel.