Daily Planet Health Services and Homeward Release Data on Vaccination of Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Richmond Region
Mar 25, 2021
Daily Planet Health Services and Homeward Release Data on Vaccination of Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Richmond Region
RICHMOND, Va. (March 25, 2021) –
Daily Planet Health Services (DPHS) and Homeward today have released new, verified data on the number of people experiencing homelessness and service providers who have received COVID-19 vaccines. As part of the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care’s (GRCoC) response to the COVID-19 pandemic, DPHS medical staff members administered more than 3,800 vaccines in the community – this includes individuals who are experiencing homelessness and those who work for homeless service providers.
Vaccines were administered through vaccination clinics that occurred at Safety Net Shelter sites and the Pandemic Shelter, two programs managed by Homeward. In addition to vaccination efforts for participants in these shelter programs, DPHS has administered vaccines at 15 sites in the region as well as the organization’s location in the City of Richmond.
“We’re proud of our work and the efforts of our partners to vaccinate both those experiencing homelessness and those working to bring care to these populations,” said Stephanie Cuttino, MSN, RN, clinical operations director for Daily Planet Health Services. “Given the transiency of people experiencing homelessness, which oftentimes includes shared spaces in close proximity to others, it’s been essential to vaccinate these populations. We are pleased by the community partnerships that have been strengthened over the past year, and are looking forward to continuing these efforts until every person experiencing homelessness has received a vaccine.”
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Homeward and GRCoC partner agencies have developed, implemented, and refined a coordinated response for our most vulnerable neighbors in the Richmond region. This collaborative response included establishing the Pandemic Shelter and consistent COVID screening and testing led by DPHS.
As a result of these efforts, the COVID-19 positivity rate for individuals experiencing homelessness has remained below the statewide average throughout the pandemic. Additionally, over 4,400 individuals and families in need have been connected to housing resources and hundreds of our neighbors experiencing homelessness have been vaccinated against COVID.
Richmond, VA – May 1, 2024 – Homeward – the planning agency for the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC), a network of homeless service providers that deliver coordinated and compassionate solutions to homelessness in the Richmond region – will host its annual Best Practices Conference on Friday, May 3, 2024 at The Westin Richmond hotel in Henrico County.
From experiencing homelessness himself to now helping others who are going through similar crises, Choice East brings invaluable empathy and insight to his work at Homeward.
The last week of February, Homeward hosted a series of learning opportunities in a Best Practices in Youth Services Summit. Over two days, GRCoC partners, YAB members, and TA support staff delved into the core competency topics of youth services, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), prioritizing joy for young people, and federal grant regulations.
Unsheltered Homelessness Continues to Rise as Housing Instability Remains a Top Regional Issue.
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Access Versus Resources , Funding by The Numbers , and Keys to Helping More People .
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Access Versus Resources , Funding by The Numbers , and Supporting Frontline Staff .
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Access Versus Resources , Keys to Helping More People , and Supporting Frontline Staff .
This post is part of a series that explores the ways in which the Richmond region addresses homelessness and provides context on how our collaborative and regional network operates. You can access other posts in this series on Funding by The Numbers , Keys to Helping More People , and Supporting Frontline Staff.
Collecting reliable and consistent regional data about individuals and families experiencing homelessness is crucial in building an effective community-wide response.
On behalf of Homeward, we want to thank Mayor Levar Stoney, City Council President Michael Jones, Committee Chair and Councilmember Stephanie Lynch, all of the members of Richmond’s City Council, and the truly dedicated members of the City administration for making this significant and compassionate expansion of homeless assistance available. For 25 years, our community has come together across organizational and jurisdictional differences with a shared goal of reducing the crisis of homelessness.
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info@homewardva.org
If you are within 3 days of losing housing, call The Homeless Connection Line: 804-972-0831 . If you are more than 3 days away from losing housing, call The Housing Resource Line: 804-422-5061