LAS VEGAS, Nev (Sept 12, 2023) – FirstMed Health and Wellness Center is taking action to tackle the ongoing issue of homelessness in Southern Nevada through resources offered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a federal agency with a mission to create strong, sustainable and inclusive communities.
FirstMed has been selected as a partner in HUD’s Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program, which provides opportunities for Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), Continuums of Care (CoCs) and Victim Service Providers (VSPs) to develop collaborative partnerships and strategies that effectively address the needs of vulnerable populations in their communities.
Through the EHV program, HUD has provided 70,000 housing choice vouchers to local PHAs who can select CoCs and VSPs to partner with. As a selected partner of the program, FirstMed plans to utilize it to assist individuals and families who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness, fleeing or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking, or were recently homeless or have a high risk of housing instability.
Clients of the program will receive Stability Housing vouchers from Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority. FirstMed’s case managers and community health workers will assist to find, secure, and maintain housing and provide essential health and supportive services. The health worker and case manager will work closely with the client to determine their needs and work on a solution to address those specific needs.
Once the voucher is obtained, the client will have a 120-day period to search for suitable housing. If they encounter challenges in finding housing within this period, they are eligible for a 30-day extension to continue their search.
Assistance is available to a range of vulnerable populations, FirstMed will accept clients that are of Transition Age Youth (TAY) aged 18 years and older, seniors aged 65 and over and single-family households aged 24 years and older.
To be considered, clients must have one medically fragile condition or one of the following health conditions:
- chronic substance use
- HIV/AIDS, Severely Mentally Ill (SMI)
- domestic violence victim
- physical disability
- developmental disability
To participate in the program, all applicants must go through the coordinated entry process at Coordinated Entry assessment sites. A list of these assessment sites can be found here.
“Applications for the program are open,” said Teneisha Parker-Abrams, social worker and program administrator with FirstMed Health and Wellness. “We expect to be fully operational starting in September. The services offered will be available to anyone experiencing homelessness, regardless of whether they are patients of FirstMed or not.”
According to the 2022 Homeless Census conducted by Clark County, there were 5,645 people residing in shelters or on the streets, and an estimated 14,000 individuals experienced homelessness in Southern Nevada at some point during the year.
By operating with a “housing first” principle, HUD prioritizes assistance based on the severity and fragility of individuals’ needs, ensuring that those most in need receive prompt attention.
“There is no seniority in this program. The client is scored when they complete the assessment at the coordinated entry site according to their fragility and acuity level,” Parker-Abrams said. “We want to remind applicants that it is very important to be open and honest during the assessment process.”
For additional information regarding FirstMed’s EHV HUD program, visit www.fmhw.org.
ABOUT FIRSTMED HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Founded in 2009, FirstMed Health and Wellness Center is 501c3 Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) that provides comprehensive preventative and primary health care services and mental health services to the low income and under-served families in Southern Nevada. In 2021, FirstMed Health and Wellness Center was recognized among the top 20 percent of all FQHCs in the country, which is based on patient outcomes. The center is the only nonprofit in the U.S. to have both the FQHC and CCBHC certifications.
The organization has more than 100 team members across three clinics located at 400 Shadow Lane, 3343 South Eastern Ave. and 3940 North Martin Luther King Blvd. To learn more about FirstMed Health and Wellness Center’s services or to schedule an appointment, visit www.fmhw.org or call 702-731-0909.
