Outreach To People Experiencing Homelessness: A Curriculum for Training Health Care for the Homeless Outreach Workers

This curriculum is designed to be used by any person or program involved in reaching out to people experiencing homelessness. Parts of the curriculum are specifically oriented to those working in federally-funded Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) projects throughout the United States. The intent of this curriculum is to help workers gain a fuller understanding and appreciation for outreach work. There is no set formula, but it is hoped that by exploring the process and content of outreach from a variety of perspectives, workers will become more effective in their efforts to assist people toward greater stability. At one level, the curriculum attempts to outline the minimum basic training and knowledge requirements that all outreach workers must possess. At another level, its intent is to help workers develop increased self-awareness, empathy and interaction skills in order to use their knowledge effectively. The purpose of this outreach curriculum is to provide a comprehensive overview of the principles, knowledge, and issues relevant to doing outreach in the HCH context. In addition to providing information, it is intended to engage the participant by using various modalities and activities that appeal to different learning styles. (Author)

Publication Date: 
2005