Washington Heights Hospital Will Connect Unhoused NYers To Resources

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — Hospital and outreach crews are helping unhoused New Yorkers from 165th to 170th Streets secure housing in a new partnership to meet the city's increasingly dire housing needs.

Outreach workers already started canvassing Broadway between 165th to 170th streets to help unhoused individuals get connected to social services and secure housing, according to Anne Sperling, Vice President of Government & Community Relations at the NewYork-Presbyterian.

"Our mission is centered around improving the health and well-being of our community," Sperling said in a statement to Patch.

"We believe this initiative is an important extension of the work our teams every day do to care for our neighbors in Washington Heights and Northern Manhattan."

The program, a partnership between NewYork-Presbyterian's Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the non-profit Breaking Ground, will open up 24/7 access to the hospital and non-profits' combined services, including social workers, security, nursing and emergency care.

The focus will be meeting people's "immediate needs," according to representatives of the program.

"NewYork-Presbyterian’s partnership with Breaking Ground means that street homeless individuals are provided with resources and guidance in navigating the housing system as well as other social services in a compassionate and thoughtful way,” Sperling said.

Throughout the year, hospital and Breaking Ground partners will evaluate whether the program will evolve further, Sperling said.