Back to School: Family Team Edition

Come September, the BHCHP Family Team is ready to welcome in a new school year for the children and families in our care. The kids are often gifted with new backpacks full of school supplies, which are generously donated by Backpack for Kids Foundation and St. Ignatius Church in Chestnut Hill, and our multidisciplinary staff are readily available to help parents navigate this transition. Below, please find a more in-depth perspective on this important work, with responses shared by Kate Orlin, RN, the Director of the Family Team.

Can you describe the work of the Family Team?

• The Family Team provides medical, behavioral health, and supportive services to children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability throughout the Greater Boston Area. Family Team services are provided in a variety of shelters, transitional programs, and outreach settings, as well as the Family Clinic, BHCHP’s first outpatient setting capable of providing primary care to pediatric patients. Services include primary and episodic care for adults and children, mental health and substance use treatment, reproductive health, nutrition, referral to specialty care, social service advocacy and support, and case management. Our multidisciplinary team includes providers, nurses, medical assistants, behavioral health specialists, and case managers, working alongside colleagues throughout the organization to drive BHCHP’s mission forward. 

Where do we currently offer our services?

• Our current family shelter clinic locations include Entre Familia, St. Mary’s Shelter, and EMPath, as well as an outreach clinic at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Family Welcome Center. We have two youth/young adult shelter clinics at Bridge Over Troubled Waters and Y2Y in Cambridge. We also have our main clinic, the Family Clinic, where we see all patients, regardless of age.

With kids back to school, is there anything important to keep in mind to help promote their health and well-being?

• Thinking about back-to-school, one thing that always comes to mind is immunizations and annual flu and covid shots, as well as emotional support and wellbeing. It’s a big transition time for lots of kids and families and ensuring kids, and parents(!), feel supported and seen makes worlds of difference in daily lives of our patients. Helping establish routines, checking in with kids emotionally, and connecting families to supports and services within their communities is so important this time of year.

What are some of the primary health challenges observed among our younger patients?

• There is such a need for behavioral and emotional support, especially for our younger patients, and just a lack of availability in general. Our patients face so many changes at such a rapid pace, most of which are all out of their control. We know that stability and predictability are core to kids being able to excel, and not having this can really take a toll on their emotional and physical wellbeing. 

What is something about family homelessness that you wish the public knew more about?

• I think that when people think of people experiencing homelessness, they most often picture single adults, yet families experiencing homelessness make up the majority of people experiencing homelessness. When combined with youth and young adults, it’s easy to see how often overlooked this cohort is. I’ve always been wowed by the strength and resilience of the patients we serve, and now working with the Family Team, seeing just how hard these families work to make sure their kids are cared for, loved, and given opportunities to just be kids, it’s striking.  

Any word of general advice for parents who want their child(ren) to grow up happy and healthy?

• Just never stop loving on them. Engage in their worlds, listen to them, be present in their lives. Connecting pays off in dividends, both for you and for them.  

Since becoming the Director of the Family Team, what do you enjoy most about your work?

• Some of the best parts are seeing little kids in our clinical spaces and getting to giggle with them, make them smile, or help a family member out. The same goes for our youth and young adults. Getting a 20-something year old to laugh – what a feat!  It reminds me why we are all here, doing this hard work, when we could be doing so many other things. Kids are kids no matter where you go and they all just want to be loved and comforted. Having the opportunity to help provide this to them makes it all worth it. 

How can people get involved with supporting the needs of unhoused children and families?

• Providing advocacy and voting are always top priorities. And educating others about family and youth homelessness is also very important.