It is estimated that the homeless population is approximately 51,000 in Los Angeles and 18,000 in Orange County (Source: 2011 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and Point-In-Time Count and Survey conducted by Applied Survey Research, OC Partnership, Orange County Health Care Agency, and OC Community Services). The Recuperative Care Center, located in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, provide hospitals a discharge option for homeless patients who are not sick enough to remain in the hospital, but too sick for the shelter. It is estimated that patients are kept up to three to four extra days in the hospital, due to insufficient availability of appropriate beds. The recuperative care center provides the homeless patient a safe and clean environment to recover, receive medical oversight, support in attending following up appointments, connection to supportive services and housing options.

• Improve access to recuperative care for homeless persons in multiple counties.
• Reduce number of unnecessary days for homeless persons in hospitals.
• Connect homeless persons to social services, medical services and housing options.
• Track hospital challenges, solutions and “best practices.”
• Establish the model as self-sustaining and replicable.

The project seeks to establish that the provision of recuperative care services is a cost effective way to provide needed aftercare to homeless patients recently discharged from acute care hospitals and reduce recidivism.