Webinar: Helping Homeless, Pregnant Women Overcome Barriers to Care
Los Angeles County has seen a 42% increase in homelessness between 2010-2017. With rent increases continuing to outpace wage growth, a reversal of that tragic trend seems unlikely. (In its last State of America’s Children report, the Children’s Defense Fund reports that 2.9 full-time jobs at minimum wage were needed for a family to afford a two-bedroom apartment in California.)
Perhaps the most vulnerable among this vulnerable population: pregnant women.
In our November 5 webinar (below), Elyse Springer, MA, MFT, discusses some of the obstacles these women face in accessing services and health care — and what home visitors can do to help them have a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Following the webinar, we (LA Best Babies Network) contacted the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) about referring pregnant women to housing assistance services. LAHSA confirmed that an unaccompanied pregnant woman qualifies as a “family” and therefore should be referred to Family Solutions Centers for help with housing. The first step is to complete and fax this referral form.
(See below for more resources, including those referenced in the webinar.)
Related Resources
- PowerPoint Presentation presented by Elyse Springer, MA, MFT
- Referral to Family Solutions Centers, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)
- Contact List of Coordinated Entry System Leadership (organized by SPA) (LAHSA)
- Connect to Services at LA Family Housing by emailing referrals@lafh.org or calling 818-255-2766 (email preferred).
- Homeless County Demographic Survey, LAHSA, 2018
- Female Persons Data Summary, Greater Los Angeles Homeless County, LAHSA, 2018
- Study: Pregnancy and Mental Health of Young Homeless Women (American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 2012)
- Article: Baby Antonio: 5 Pounds, 12 Ounces and Homeless From Birth (New York Times, 10-30-18)
- Article: Ending Homelessness: A Model That Just Might Work (NPR, 2011)
- What is EMDR? (EMDR Institute, Inc.)
- 10 Common Cognitive Distortions (The Resilience Alliance, 2011)