Homeless Caseload is Associated with Behavioral Health and Case Management Staffing in Health Centers

Community health centers provide co-located medical, behavioral, and case management services to meet the unique and complex needs of the underserved, including homeless individuals. Multivariate analysis of staffing patterns in health centers serving high homeless caseloads highlights above-average behavioral and case management staffing, regardless of Health Care for the Homeless funding status. Rural health centers and those in the South had lower behavioral health and enabling services staffing. Implications include the need to monitor disparities, link health centers with available technical assistance, and emphasize integrating co-located behavioral health, enabling, and medical services through grant oversight mechanisms.