Wood River Health and WARM team up to fight homelessness

Go team!

For many, this is housing for the
homeless in South County

Wood River Health is working to combat homelessness by expanding its service delivery systems to offer housing stabilization services to residents of Washington County.

Wood River Health is helping those at risk of homelessness by becoming a certified provider of home stabilization services for Rhode Island Medicaid clients. Home stabilization programs connect recipients of Medicaid to programs and services that help them find a residence and transition into housing. Services include home tenancy support, life skills training, and other modeling and teaching services to ensure participants can become or stay permanently housed.

“Our providers understand that it takes more than seeing a health care provider to maintain a person’s health,” stated Wood River Health’s President and CEO Alison L. Croke. “Our providers and staff are committed to helping our community meet their basic needs that span beyond the scope of health care. One of the ways we can contribute to this is by collaborating with community partners to improve access to safe and affordable housing for Washington County residents.”

Rhode Island has the second highest percentage of chronic homelessness in the United States. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently reported that homelessness rose by nearly 35% from 2023 to 2024 in the Ocean State; the nationwide level is 18%.

“Homelessness is a complex issue deeply intertwined with social determinants of health, including economic instability, challenges of access to education and healthcare, mental health challenges, and social isolation,” shared Katherine Miller, Wood River Health’s Director of Care Coordination. “We are continually looking for ways to address health inequities in our community.”

In 2024, Wood River Health approached the Westerly Area Rest Meals (WARM) Center, which provides shelter and meals to the homeless, to partner in offering home stabilization services to its clients. Using funding from a competitive grant awarded by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), Wood River Health provided WARM with laptops and trained its staff on how to manage documentation and coding, utilize the Electronic Health Record, and accurately bill the Medicaid program.

“Our partnership with Wood River Health has enabled us to expand the services we provide our members,” stated Jessica Mowry, MSW, LICSW, Executive Director of the WARM Center. “It is one more way we can support members to stay housed and live fuller, healthier lives.”

This partnership allows Wood River Health to reduce WARM clients’ use of local emergency departments for conditions that could be managed in a health center setting. This is achieved by employing Community Health Workers who connect WARM clients with medical, dental and behavioral health services provided at Wood River Health. 

Additionally, Community Health Workers assist WARM clients with navigating health insurance, preparing applications, accessing quality health care services, checking eligibility for the Sliding Fee Scale Program, and obtaining food and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. They assist clients with securing affordable medication, accessing transportation and managing any financial issues they are experiencing.

Homelessness adversely impacts every aspect of a person’s life. On a physical level, it leads to increased rates of chronic conditions including anemia, asthma, cirrhosis, chronic obstructive lung disease, dementia, and epilepsy. This leads to higher rates of mortality and reduced lifespans. Not having access to a home similarly impacts mental health, leading to increased rates of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental illnesses compared to the general population. Mental health symptoms are exacerbated in response to chronic stress, lack of safety, and increased instability associated with being homeless.

Homelessness also impacts children’s physical and mental wellbeing. Many are impacted by asthma, ear infections, diarrhea, and stomach problems. They are more likely to have chronic illnesses, higher blood lead levels and malnutrition. Homeless children are more likely to have delays in language and literacy and are more likely to have delays in social-emotional development. 

They are more likely to have learning disabilities and experience chronic absenteeism from school. Their risk of developing behavioral health symptoms and being exposed to violence and trauma is significantly higher than those who have homes. The impact of homelessness for even a short time can have repercussions which affect health across the lifespan.

Wood River Health is currently the only home stabilization provider in Washington County. To find out more about this program, contact 401.539.2461 x240 and ask to be connected with Wood River Health’s Community Resources department. Appointments are available at its locations in Hope Valley and Westerly. More information is available at WoodRiverHealth.org.

About Wood River Health

Since 1976, Wood River Health has delivered medical, dental and social services to the communities of southwestern Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut. Its mission is to provide its patients with high-quality and affordable health care services through a compassionate, team-based approach. Its vision is for every member of its community to experience physical, emotional and social well-being.

A private, non-profit Community Health Center, Wood River Health is devoted to providing quality patient care to over 10,500 patients. It is recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Wood River Health receives funds from the HRSA Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas. For more information, visit WoodRiverHealth.org.

About WARM Center, Inc.

Founded in 1987 on the values of Compassion, Hope and Dignity, WARM Center, Inc. provides a continuum of seventeen programs serving over 4,000 low-income households a year. Our programs provide essential support and resources to low-income individuals and families at risk of becoming homeless or experiencing homelessness. Ranging from street outreach to permanent housing, our programs share the primary goal of preventing and ending homelessness, and promoting economic stability across Washington County.