Learning Objectives:

• Describe the demographic and epidemiologic features of homeless populations at both the national and regional levels, and specifically how the Coachella Valley reflects these national patterns

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• Identify the gap between how access to health care is structured and the needs of vulnerable populations, such as homeless patients, and provide examples of how to bridge this gap

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• Describe how specialized knowledge of the needs and resources available to homeless patients can be applied in consultation services to reduce hospital length of stay and readmission rates, and explain how a “population health” approach collaborating with relevant agencies can further synergize and enhance these improved outcomes

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• Cite the available literature on the prevalence amongst homeless patients of mental health disorders and substance abuse, with special reference to opiates, and identify approaches to treating these problems in low-resource patients

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• List resources needed to create and promote team-based, multidisciplinary outreach projects for homeless patients, and ways to successfully involve students at the pre-medical, medical/nursing school, and post-graduate levels, using real-world examples

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• Apply communication techniques suited to educating “the most important student,” medical patients with complex care needs, including use of low-literacy and non-English language patient education materials, and outline ways to use group visits to enhance self-management in low-resource patient populations