Essays on Community Health Center Care of Patients Experiencing Homelessness

In this three-paper model dissertation, I examine community health center care of patients experiencing homelessness. In the first paper, I use patient survey data to examine differences between patients that do and do not have experience with homelessness, finding that patients who have experienced homelessness are more likely to have behavioral health needs and receive multiple forms of social determinants of health related assistance. In the second paper, I use a panel analysis to examine the effect of the Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) grant on the number of patients experiencing homelessness that a center serves, finding a positive relationship, though the Medicaid expansion status of the state in which the center is located can diminish the magnitude of the effect of the grant. In the third paper, I employ mixed methods to gain insight into factors around HCH grant receipt. I find that potential barriers include center rurality, staff confusion around the HCH grant and application process, timing issues around HCH grant availability, and the extent to which other providers in the area are caring for patients experiencing homelessness. A consistent theme across the studies is the importance of enabling services in center care of patients experiencing homelessness.

Author

• Morris, Rebecca

Language

• en

Keyword

• social determinants
• behavioral health
• Medicaid
• community health centers
• homelessness

Date created

• 2025

Type of Work

• Dissertation

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Public Policy & Administration

Degree

• Ph.D.

Advisor

• Ku, Leighton

Committee Member(s)

• Jacobs, Feygele
• Silver, Hilary

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/w6634446g