
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program receives HHS funding and has Federal PHS deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.
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Broken bones, burns, infections, and other acute medical needs require time and consistent care to heal. The weeks after intense procedures like surgery or chemotherapy require rest. And end-of-life care requires round the clock, specialized compassion and care. But rest, recovery, and attention are hard to come by on the streets and in shelters, where people experiencing homelessness lack reliable access to specialized medical care, concrete resources, privacy, and one-on-one support. This puts patients at risk of further complications and adds to the unnecessary indignities of homelessness.
In 1985, we opened the first medical respite facility in the nation–a safe place for patients experiencing homelessness to recover from short-term injuries, illnesses, and hospital stays. This flagship 104-bed medical respite facility at Jean Yawkey Place, called Barbara McInnis House, provides 24/7 care for patients who are too sick for life in shelters or the street, but not sick enough to occupy a hospital bed. The 20-bed Stacy Kirkpatrick House is a similar step-down facility, helping patients transition from round-the-clock care back to shelter or, when possible, into long-term housing and treatment.
Our medical respite program has since inspired dozens more nationwide. While patients may arrive to us, or to similar facilities across the country, in need of wound care, medications, or behavioral health support and stabilization, our hope is that they leave with much more–a treatment plan, ongoing support from our staff, a sense of dignity, and a path toward healing.
For patients and providers looking for more complete information on services provided at Barbara McInnis House, please see our updated brochure and FAQ sheet.
For providers looking to admit a patient, please see our admittance requirements before filling out an admission form.
Referrals to Barbara McInnis House come from virtually every hospital in Greater Boston, as well as directly from our clinicians in shelters and on the streets. The facility maintains scheduled visiting hours; allows outdoor smoking; offers washers and dryers, television, and regular weekly activities; and enables patients to leave the facility to attend other medical appointments. Upon discharge, some patients go on to receive care at Stacy Kirkpatrick House, where there is further flexibility. Both facilities’ policies around livability are designed to minimize disruptions to patients’ lives, making respite care a welcome option rather than a further burden.
The Barbara McInnis House offers short-term medical care to more than 1,000 unique patients every year. The average stay is about 2 weeks. During their stay, patients have access to 24/7 care, three nutritious meals per day, behavioral health services, dental services, case management, patient support groups, and more.
Stacy Kirkpatrick House welcomes patients previously staying at Barbara McInnis House. The 20-bed facility supports these patients as they transition from 24/7 care to lower-acuity care and, when possible, to longer-term housing. The facility shares a building with the Francis Grady Apartments, which houses 30 formerly homeless individuals, including some those in our care.
Our medical respite program has been nationally recognized as a model for care, with the Barbara McInnis House–the first of its kind and the largest in the country–inspiring dozens of programs and facilities. Our program has also led to research published in medical journals such as the Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community and the American Journal of Public Health, drawing on the expertise of our staff and patients to strengthen medical respite care in Boston and beyond.
“Barbara McInnis’ fervent dream was the creation of a safe place to offer round the clock nursing and medical care to persons discharged from the hospital but too sick and fragile to return to rigors of life in the shelters and on the streets of Boston. Barbara, the nurse who first taught BHCHP’s doctors and nurses and social workers the fundamentals of caring for those without homes, reluctantly agreed to be the namesake of our respite program and devoted many years to making her dream a reality. Barbara died in 2003, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire all of us at BHCHP to strive for excellence while fostering hope and embracing the dignity of each patient. The Barbara McInnis House remains unparalleled in our country, thanks primarily to the nursing principles that have always been bedrock at BHCHP.”
Dr. Jim O’Connell, BHCHP President & Founding Physician
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program receives HHS funding and has Federal PHS deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.