Central City Concern created the Recuperation Care Program (RCP) in 2005 to let patients go home to CCC housing with staff to care for them. 

RCP case managers check on patients daily, take them to follow-up appointments and ensure that they eat regularly and safely take their medications.  If patients exhibit the need for additional medical care – from basic needs to addiction and/or mental health concerns -  RCP connects them to Old Town Clinic’s array of services.  RCP patients also learn how best to use the healthcare system. The staff teaches them to use their primary care home, rather than the local emergency department.

Once patients stabilize, they can focus on rebuilding their lives with CCC specialists there to help them get supportive housing, food stamps, skills training, work and other resources to become self-sufficient. 

RCP staff works closely with Portland area hospitals and CareOregon to identify patients in need of respite care. The Recuperation Care Program not only improves the health of at-risk patients by reducing unnecessary recidivism and discharging people onto the street, but it also improves the efficiency of hospitals.  Quality recuperative care reduces the frequency of return visits to an emergency room, significantly lowering hospitals’ costs and saving critical resources.

Impact:

• More than 260 people served since its founding in 2005
• Successful discharge rate (full recovery and completion of care):  74%
• Percentage discharged to stable housing: 63%

Partners:

• CareOregon
• Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital
• Legacy Health Systems
• Oregon Health and  Sciences University
• Portland Adventist Medical Center
• Providence Health Systems