For Kaiser Permanente, a person’s health is tied to both economic and housing security. Mortality rates among people experiencing chronic homelessness are three to four times higher than that of the general population. Without a safe, stable place to live, it is nearly impossible to maintain one’s health or sustain health improvements in a medical setting.
In early 2019, Community Solutions and Kaiser Permanente began an ambitious partnership to support ending chronic and veteran homelessness in communities in their shared footprint across the United States.
As of 2021, 28 Kaiser Permanente communities are working with Built for Zero. In seven states and the District of Columbia, Kaiser Permanente community health professionals work directly with the Built for Zero movement to identify and leverage resources and opportunities to make meaningful reductions in homelessness.
In 2019, Kaiser Permanente and Community Solutions also forged a partnership with the state of Colorado to end chronic homelessness. Four Kaiser Permanente communities are represented in Built for Zero’s Large Cities cohort, a network of 8 cities focused on reducing veteran homelessness.
