Medical Respite

“When the streets become your daily reality, hope can feel like a distant dream. But hope is what lifts you out.”

Bethesda House Cara House facility houses the Medical Respite program.

Medical Respite also known as recuperative care, offer a safe and supportive environment for individuals experiencing homelessness who are recovering from an illness or injury but are not well enough to be discharged to the streets or a traditional shelter. The program bridges the gap between hospital care and community living by providing short-term housing, medical care coordination, and access to other supportive services.

The benefits of this program are:

  • Reduced hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.
  • Improved health outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness.
  • Lower overall healthcare costs.
  • Increased access to permanent housing and other support services.
  • Cara House Facility
  • 6 medical respite beds
  • Staffed 24/7

was one of the first agencies nationwide to open a Housing-First permanent supportive housing program, now considered the best practice housing model.

Housing First is an approach to ending homelessness that prioritizes providing immediate, permanent housing to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, followed by supportive services to help them maintain their housing and address other needs.

Bethesda House offers:

  • Permanent Supportive Housing to eligible chronically homeless single adults
    • Scattered Sites Apartments: 8 Beds
    • Lighthouse Program: 7 Beds
    • Liberty Apartments: 16 Beds
    • Cara House: 26 Beds
  • Transitional Housing for Veterans:
    • Lighthouse facility: 3 Beds
    • In partnership with the Veterans Administration, Veterans have housing and full access to case management services.
  • Overnight Emergency Shelter
    • Cara House location
      • 10 beds for homeless single adults
      • Referrals are approved by Department of Social Services
      • Hours of Operation: 4:30 PM to 8:00 AM
      • In Operation 365 days /year
      • Fully staffed over night
  • Code Blue – Overnight Emergency Shelter
    • Catherine Street location
      • 26 shelter beds
      • Hours of Operation: 4:30 PM to 8:00 AM
      • November 1 to April 30
      • Fully staff over night