Stoneleigh Emerging Leader Fellow Cameron McConkey is featured in this piece about a new partnership between Philadelphia FIGHT’s Y-HEP Adolescent and Young Adult Health Center and Valley Youth House to connect young patients experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness with housing counseling, emergency housing referrals, and other resources.
To increase access to housing services for patients of FIGHT’s Y-HEP Adolescent and Young Adult Health Center, the HIV-prevention group has teamed up with social services organization Valley Youth House.
The nonprofits kicked off a collaboration Sept. 9 that has two Valley Youth House staff members visiting the Y-HEP Health Center on Mondays from 2-5 p.m. to connect patients experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness with housing counseling, emergency housing referrals and resources including clothing, personal hygiene products and sleeping bags. The clinic serves patients ages 13-24. Those at least 18 years old can also work with staffers to complete the Office of Homeless Services’ coordinated entry housing assessment, a tool that matches eligible people with housing within 3-6 months, said Zakia Dodson, FIGHT’s community health worker.
The initiative at Y-HEP Health Center, at 1207 Chestnut St., intends to co-locate health and wellness services under one roof to decrease barriers to accessing housing support, said Cameron McConkey, FIGHT’s Stoneleigh Emerging Leader Fellow.
