PRELIMINARY IMPACT OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ON HOSPITAL UTILIZATION FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

Housing instability has been shown to negatively impact physical and mental health, with a corresponding increase in health care utilization. In 2019, through a Maryland Medicaid 1115 Health Choice Waiver, 10 Baltimore city hospitals joined with the city of Baltimore and the local nonprofit Health Care for the Homeless to support an innovative program that provides permanent housing and wraparound services to individuals at risk of homelessness. Here, we describe the inception of the program and its subsequent expansion with the investment of the city hospitals.