BHCHP Blog: A View from the Bridge

When people think of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, they typically consider our medical or behavioral health work on the street or in over 40 shelter or hospital locations in Boston. Case management is one of the vital parts of our work that focuses on supporting the important social circumstances of our patients, which can be critical to their overall good health.

These days, if you wander into Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program’s headquarters on what used to be a quiet Saturday morning, the main lobby is buzzing with activity. Tables decked out in purple tablecloths offer health information and related giveaways. Women of all ages are chatting, sipping coffee, doing crafts, getting hand massages and acupuncture treatments, watching movies and playing a BINGO game that imparts lessons about women’s health between shouts of “BINGO!” Beyond the lobby, in exam rooms, women are seeing providers for their medical and behavioral health issues or case managers for any number of non-medical needs. It’s a health fair, coffee talk, crafting session and walk-in clinic, all rolled into one. Welcome to HER Saturday, the foundation of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program’s Women’s Health Initiative. HER stands for Health. Empowerment. Resources.

An important part of honoring our patients is sharing the story of our work with the world. We hope that you will enjoy getting to know more of our patients, as well as the hardworking staff who deliver this high-quality, compassionate care every day.

Since April 2016 when BHCHP opened our Supportive Place for Observation and Treatment (SPOT) in a former conference room, at least 10% of our visitors have immediately sought treatment for their disease. Here, at SPOT, the only program of its kind in the country, we provide medical monitoring following opioid use to prevent fatal overdose and promote access to long term treatment.