Health Plan Funds Young Adult Homelessness

 Local Health Plan Funds Program to Address Young Adult Homelessness

RANCHO CUCAMONGA — Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) has provided $15,000 to fund Point Source Youth’s local Host Homes Program. The program, which launched on Nov. 2, provides supportive, short-term housing for 20 young adults (ages 18-24) in the Inland Empire who are experiencing housing instability. The health plan also facilitates weekly meetings, providing hands-on support throughout the year-long program.

A national initiative, Point Source Youth’s Host Homes Program provides safe and welcoming short-term housing (1-6 months) for young adults who are experiencing homelessness for a variety of reasons including familial conflict, poverty, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. These interventions provide a safe environment for young adults to heal, improve relationships with family, or assist in future living decisions with the help of a case manager.

In addition to IEHP’s sponsorship, local community partners—such as Free Mom Hugs Inland Empire,  Inland Empire United Way, 211 San Bernardino, and Goodwill Southern California—will be offering support by connecting young adults with community members or providing case management support.

“Community partnerships and support are key to making the Host Home Program work,” said Orlando Roybal, Point Source Youth Director. “We are all able to provide a critical piece to the puzzle in creating a community response to youth homelessness by leaning on each organization’s talents and best practices to ensure that all needs are met for our participants to thrive. By working together, centering youth voice, and removing barriers, we can all make a difference for youth experiencing homelessness.”

To be eligible for the program, young adults complete a background check and an interview. They must be employed, actively seeking employment, or be enrolled in an academic program. Host Home families also complete a background check and an interview. In addition to being residents of San Bernardino County, they must have an extra bedroom in their home and a commitment to provide a safe, welcoming, non-judgmental environment for an eligible young adult for at least 3 to 6 months.

“Regardless of a person’s age, housing instability can lead to instability in other facets of life, especially health,” said Dr. Gabriel Uribe, IEHP Director of Community Health. “To ensure the most vulnerable young adults in our communities have opportunities to thrive in all aspects of life, we must work together to fill in the gaps, where we can. While Host Homes living arrangements are temporary, we believe their impacts will last a lifetime.”

For more information on this program, click here.