BOSTON
- Sunday, March 29, 2020- Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a
comprehensive plan for individuals experiencing homelessness in the City of
Boston during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health
emergency. The City, through its coordinated network of shelter providers and
under the clinical leadership of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
(BHCHP), has implemented screening protocols for shelter guests and created
facilities for the testing, isolation and quarantine of individuals exposed,
suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19. Today, Mayor Walsh is announcing the
City has secured over 240 additional beds to increase social distancing in
existing shelters and aid those in need of a home to safely quarantine or
isolate themselves and reduce the further spread of COVID-19 in Boston.
"We
are fully committed to protecting all of our residents, including those
experiencing homelessness, because every life is worth protecting," said
Mayor Walsh. "Together with our partners, we have spent the last several
years strengthening our ability to protect the health of our homeless
population, no matter what challenges come our way. We will continue to ramp
up resources as necessary to serve everyone in our city with the care and
equity they deserve. I sincerely thank everyone who is doing their part in
helping us increase our ability to help those in need."
The
City, with support from Suffolk Construction, built an isolation and
quarantine facility with a capacity of 38 beds next to the 112
Southampton Shelter. This site augments the 17 existing beds at Boston Health
Care for the Homeless Program's Barbara McInnis House. These facilities
provide much needed space for people to receive medical attention. Screenings
led by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program have been happening at
shelter sites to identify guests with symptoms or exposure to COVID-19. If
needed, guests are referred for observation and support while awaiting test
results and/or needing isolation. Collectively, the partners have conducted
over 8,000 screenings, tested approximately 100 individuals and have
identified five positive COVID-19 cases.
"We
at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program appreciate the Mayor's
leadership in this time of crisis and are grateful for the joint partnership
to combat the pandemic," said Barry Bock, Chief Executive Officer at
Boston Health Care For the Homeless Program.
"We
must care for one another and never forget the individuals and families in
our community who need us most, especially during these unprecedented times.
We must also do everything we can to support the caregivers and healthcare
professionals on the front lines battling the coronavirus every day,"
said John Fish, Chairman and CEO of Suffolk. "We were honored and
privileged to answer the call from the City of Boston by providing our
support, sharing our resources and constructing sophisticated temporary
healthcare facilities that allow healthcare professionals to treat and care
for members of our homeless population with the dignity and respect they
deserve."
ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING
Suffolk
University will be repurposing a dormitory to provide at least 172 beds,
helping reduce congestion and increase social distancing in existing shelters
in Boston. This facility will be managed in collaboration between the Pine
Street Inn and the Boston Public Health Commission. Individuals who need
shelter should still go to Boston's shelters where they will be screened and
triaged to another location as needed.
"Mayor
Walsh has been clear that the precautions and preparations the city, its
institutions, and its residents take now will be critical to successfully
responding to the crisis," said Suffolk University President Marisa
Kelly. "We commend him for his leadership, and we stand ready to help in
any way. Boston is our home, and the University takes very seriously its
responsibility to be a good citizen at a time when we are all being called
upon to pitch in and help."
"We
are so grateful to the Mayor for his leadership during this crisis,"
said Lyndia Downie, President & Executive Director of the Pine Street
Inn. "These sites will enable us to get some of our most vulnerable
guests, especially our elders, out of a crowded situation in our congregate
shelters. Pine Street is also very grateful to be working with our partners
at the Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Health Care for the
Homeless Program. This has been a remarkable collaboration led by the Mayor
and his staff and we appreciate his focus on the homeless men and women, who
until now, have had very few options."
Another
70 beds will be available as space provided by The Davis Companies at the
site of a former long-term acute care hospital in Brighton that will be ready
to open within days. Davis reached out to the Mayor's Office to see if the
facility could be temporarily redeployed in a similar medical capacity and
completed the necessary upgrades to return the building to a functional and
code-compliant condition to be turned over for use by the city. This facility
will be operated by the Boston Public Health Commission in partnership with
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.
"As
the full magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis became clear, we knew we needed to
help in some way," said Stephen Davis, Managing Director of Development
for The Davis Companies. "Concerned that the crisis posed a significant
challenge to the city's hospital infrastructure, we began identifying assets
we own that might be of service. This nearly 60,000 square foot former
hospital facility was sitting idle as we prepared to redevelop the site and
represented an opportunity to help. We are fortunate to live and work in a
City where strong leadership enables quick action to protect this high-risk
population during such an unprecedented time."
In
addition to the beds the City has already made available and the beds that
will become available at these sites next week, the State
announced a former Boston Medical Center hospital building will be
temporarily reopened and used to meet COVID-19 related medical needs of area
homeless residents. The building, known as Newton Pavilion, has a capacity of
250 beds and will be operated by a consortium of providers, including Boston
Medical Center, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, shelters
including the Pine Street Inn, and the City of Boston.
To
support the non-profit partners, Mayor Walsh recently announced Boston
awarded $2.5 million from the newly-launched Boston
Resiliency Fund to strengthen the health care system for the City's
homeless population and its most vulnerable residents, including Boston
Health Care for the Homeless Program, Pine Street Inn and Boston Medical
Center.
HOMELESS SHELTERS
The
City of Boston coordinates a network of shelters for individuals experiencing
homelessness, including overnight emergency shelters, daytime services and
meals, and outreach services, in addition to services serving special
populations such as homeless youth, families and veterans. Because these
services provide food and shelter, they remain open despite the State's
emergency order and stay-at-home advisory currently in effect until Tuesday,
April 7, 2020.
Partners
in Boston's shelter system, including Boston Health Care for the Homeless
Program, Boston Public Health Commission, Pine Street Inn, Boston Medical
Center, St. Francis House, have been communicating daily to ensure that
Boston can continue to operate its emergency shelter system safely and care
for those needing observation, quarantine or more serious levels of care, and
any additional supports needed. Shelter staff have been working with guests
with imminent housing offers to move out of shelter and into housing.
City
shelters have increased infection control efforts for guests and staff,
including additional daily deep cleanings, increasing the availability and
frequency of hand washing, providing hand sanitizers, and reminding people to
practice good hygiene. Posters with prevention messages are posted throughout
shelter sites, encouraging clients and employees to practice good hand
hygiene and to cover their coughs. Additional resources have been provided to
clients and employees at all City shelters, including hand sanitizer,
disinfecting wipes and tissues. Boxed meals are also being provided to reduce
risk.
DAY SITES AND STREET OUTREACH
The
City coordinates a network of street outreach teams that work to engage with
people who are not currently engaged in services, less likely to seek
shelter, and may be in need of information, assessment and assistance. Street
outreach teams are equipped with supplies such as hand sanitizer,
disinfecting wipes and gloves, and are escorting individuals in need of care
to medical sites.
The
City operates an Engagement Center for individuals in need of a space to
spend time during the day and to connect them to services. Since the City
began its planning for COVID-19 response, the Engagement Center has
implemented screening protocols and added portable wash stations, offering
clients more access to practice good hand washing. Many day programs remain
open to offer essential services to people experiencing homelessness, and
many community meal sites remain open and are providing meals to go.
REMOTE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR RECENTLY HOUSED INDIVIDUALS
Supportive
services agencies across the city have been conducting wellness checks by
phone to over 1,000 clients who have been housed in the last year through the
city's initiatives to end chronic and veterans homelessness, as well as
through the various Rapid Re-Housing programs across the city. The frequency
of the calls is determined by the needs of the clients, with many engaging
daily. Most clients need more frequent engagement than prior to the COVID-19
public health emergency. Much of the stabilization that is being offered by
phone is the same as when the clients were able to meet with their case
managers in person. However, new challenges such as access to food and
medication, preparing for potential isolation, and access to medical care,
are also being addressed.
Many
clients are members of vulnerable populations with pre-existing health
conditions or age. Studies show that homeless adults over 50 years old have
health conditions similar to adults 15-20 years older who have not
experienced homelessness. Because of these issues, the City team is looking
into the possibility of moving resources within existing federal funding to
focus more on food delivery and medication.
As
part of the Boston's
Way Home initiative, Boston has housed over 1,000 chronically homeless individuals,
1,200 homeless veterans, and ended chronic veteran homelessness in Boston.
From 2017 to 2018, Boston also saw a decrease of more than 12 percent in the
number of individuals sleeping on the street. Nationally, the number of
unsheltered homeless has increased by 9 percent. The U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported in 2017, 2018 and 2019 that
Boston maintains the lowest rate of unsheltered people experiencing
homelessness among all major U.S. cities.
On
the night of March 25, 2020 there were 1,441 individuals in Boston's
emergency shelters. Another 63 men and 17 women were seen staying on the
street and were offered shelter or services. On the morning of March 26,
there were 1,160 homeless families in Boston shelters, the majority in
scattered site apartments or congregate shelter units.
For more information and updates on COVID-19, text BOSCOVID to
994-11 or visit boston.gov/coronavirus.
For information on emergency shelters, day programs, community meals, and
street outreach, please visit here.
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