Caring for the Homeless Patient with Mental Illness: General Treatment and the Use of Integrated Team Approaches to Client-Centered Care

The care of the homeless mentally ill patient takes a great deal of flexibility and often requires creative approaches.  This presentation will feature 2, integrated team approaches to mental illness—an office-based model and a street-based model.  The office-based team will focus on general treatment approaches to the various psychiatric illness and practical interventions that address the needs specific to this population.  The street-based team will review cases where initiation of long-acting, anti-psychotic injectable medications for patients with schizophrenia resulted in stabilization and housing.  The presenters will use an interactive format to engage the audience and to reflect on lessons learned.