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Mobile Nurse Practitioner: A Pilot Program To Address Service Gaps Experienced By Homeless Individuals, Joan Alviar Fraino

Nursing and Health Professions Student Research and Publications

An estimated 2.3 to 3.5 million individuals are homeless in the United States, many of whom have chronic medical and mental illnesses. Underserved individuals who are homeless experience gaps in services, resulting in poor health care outcomes and readmission to the hospital setting, often presenting in crisis through the emergency department. The financial state of hospitals is negatively impacted by the burden of patients returning to the hospital due to unresolved issues. The current article presents the role of a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner as part of a pilot program, Opportunity Village Mobile Health, that provides a comprehensive approach to …