Architecture of Care: Colorado Coalition for the Homeless’s Integrated Clinic

August 14, 2018
Access to Care
Social Determinants of Health

At the Stout Street Health Center, staffers say they “walk with our patients along the path to recovery.”

This quote captures the compassion and dedication of the staff at this clinic, which serves a group of Coloradans in a particularly vulnerable position – those who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

This dedication is shared among many working in Colorado’s safety net.

CHI is marking National Health Center Week this week and Safety Net Clinic Week next week by highlighting the work of two safety net clinics, including the Stout Street Health Center, run by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless (CCH). I visited the Stout Street Health Center earlier this summer to learn more about its work.

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has been committed to alleviating homelessness for more than 30 years. CCH is designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), often referred to as a community health center. That means the organization receives government funding to serve low-income people, including those enrolled in Medicaid and those who don’t have health insurance.

CCH staff recognize that homelessness is often linked to environmental factors and traumatic personal experiences. One way that the Coalition addresses homelessness is through its network of health care services at the Stout Street Health Center and five accompanying satellite clinics.

The Stout Street Health Center has a patient-centered, trauma-informed integrated care model. The staff aims to make patients feel respected and heard, and this is immediately clear upon entering the clinic. The clinic, which was built in 2014, is designed to make all patients feel welcomed and safe. A key part of trauma-informed care is making sure patients are not only physically safe, but also psychologically and emotionally supported. From the art on its walls to its on-site pharmacy to its spacious corridors, every aspect of Stout Street is designed to make patients feel comfortable.

Stout Street serves over 13,000 homeless or at-risk individuals every year, 99 percent of whom are low-income and 50 percent of whom identify as an ethnic or racial minority.

Stout Street Health Center offers a full range of services, including behavioral health care, dental visits, vision care, a pharmacy, and help with Medicaid or other public assistance program enrollment. Services are provided regardless of insurance, immigration status, or ability to pay.

The clinic prepares its staff to be well-equipped to address the unique needs of the people it serves. That involves training, but also attention to making sure staff are happy and healthy while doing what can be a difficult and emotionally charged job.

For this policy intern, it was inspiring to visit Stout Street and see its work. Stout Street isn’t offering the bare minimum to the homeless. It provides integrated care in a beautifully designed facility, striving to treat patients with dignity and respect, and that is something Denver can celebrate.

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