Congressionally Directed Spending for Construction Projects - Central City Concern (CCC) has acquired a former hotel for the future home of the Recuperative Care Program, which addresses a critical gap in ending homelessness and care coordination efforts. This site will expand on CCC’s Recuperative Care Program (RCP) which currently operates 51 beds out of CCC’s Blackburn Center in east Portland and provides post-hospitalization recuperation services for low-income and homeless individuals who need additional support for more complete recovery, and an end to a cycle of re-hospitalization, trauma and homelessness. By providing access to health care, immediate placement in transitional housing, and intensive case management, RCP improves health and housing outcomes for at-risk individuals, decreases avoidable hospital bed days and provides a more complete care-to-housing model for people who no longer meet hospitalization requirements but are “too sick for the street” – a population at high risk for chronic homelessness. This is a proven model developed in partnership with community health systems and has a track record of success with over 75% resolving their acute medical condition, over 95% engaging with a primary care provider upon program exit and over 60% transitioning into stable housing. CCC was awarded $4.8 million in funding through the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Additionally, $6.01 million and and $990 thousand in acquisition funds and program design and startup funds respectively, from Care Oregon. These initial funds served as seed funding to support acquisition and an existing 66 room Comfort Inn Hotel located at 8225 NE Wasco St. Portland, OR 97220. This new permanent facility will enable an expansion of the number of beds by over 75% and will create appropriate space for medical exams, therapeutic encounters, supportive services, community and engagement spaces, program admin office space, and the potential for a ground-floor use operated by CCC or a partner organization. This new stand-alone location will allow for improved regional coordination, greatly expanded impact, and a meaningful platform for improved systems alignment and ending homelessness efforts for extremely vulnerable populations. To fit the program needs, the build needs a series of upgrades and improves, including low voltage/security system, ADA improvements, floor replacement, various fixture furniture, and equipment replacement, new community kitchen, pool room conversion, and various client and staff tenant improvements of clinical, office, and common spaces. The expansion will enable care for multiple acuity tiers of respite patients, with approximately 20 beds being reserved for a new Enhanced Medical Respite program (MR-E), serving those who need more intensive management and potential longer stays in care, to those who need lighter touch case management and support. The new location provides expanded capacity and close proximity to Light-Rail Transit and a broader range of supportive services. Overall, an integrated, multi-tiered Clinical Respite Center will advance our community’s goals of ending homelessness, particularly for highly impacted and vulnerable individuals, by improving system alignment, coordinated care transitions, and supporting direct placements into housing, health care and other supportive services for individuals transitioning from institutional settings.
