Palomar Health will soon begin referring homeless patients who qualify to the recently expanded Recuperative Care program run by Interfaith Community Services in Escondido.
The Interfaith expansion was made possible by the recent additional participations in the program by Palomar Health and Tri-City Medical Center, and a $5.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Recuperative care includes medical support, therapy, nutritional couseling and transportation to medical appointments. Most of the beds are for homeless veterans.
Interfaith recently held an open house at the multiple-home facility near downtown Escondido. Palomar Health RN Valerie Swain, a longtime Interfaith volunteer, represented Palomar. Her volunteer work includes creating a housing voucher program for discharged homeless patients.
"I'm very happy Palomar Health is able to participate. When we have homeless patients they will have a clean, safe place to go to recuperate," said Swain, who works at the Palomar Health Downtown Campus in Escondido.
The program is designed for homeless people needing further recovery from physical injuries or illnesses after hospitalization.