Homeless patients have a place to stay for awhile after leaving Gig Harbor hospital

For the homeless, being in the hospital at least means getting sleep in a bed.

What about when they get out?

To address that problem, if only temporarily, CHI Franciscan Health has partnered with Catholic Community Services and Peninsula Community Health Services to offer homeless men somewhere to go after leaving the hospital.

Kitsap County residents released from St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor can go to Benedict House in Bremerton. Pierce County residents can go to Nativity House in Tacoma. Both homes are part of Catholic Community Services.

“It’s a safe and supportive care setting for homeless folks needing to recuperate,” said Jeanell Rasmussen, chief nursing officer at Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton.

As part of the free respite-care program, Benedict House has helped the homeless after hospital stays since late June. So far, it’s housed a total of 11 people, usually two or three at a time.

Benedict House is open only to male residents. Nativity House is open to women as well.

Stays for those getting respite care generally are for up to 30 days.

The goal of the respite program is to provide homeless people with the care they need and a safe environment for recovering after they leave the hospital, Rasmussen said.

Staff members are there around the clock. Meals and transportation to medical appointments are provided. Residents also can get help with Medicaid coverage, parking passes or other necessities.

In the end, the idea is get them on the way to permanent housing and self-sufficiency, according to Catholic Community Services’ website.

Social workers from the hospital identify patients who meet the criteria needed to stay at the respite-care houses, Rasmussen said.

“It meets a great need in the community, Rasmussen said of the program. “ (Otherwise) these folks end up coming back into the hospital, or Medicaid makes them stay for a tremendous amount of time for recuperation period. We think it’s meeting an unmet need in the community.”

This story was originally published December 11, 2018 at 1:40 PM.