Total Health Begins in Our Communities

For even one person to be homeless in a country as wealthy as the United States is unacceptable. And yet, last year, more than half a million people experienced homelessness on any given night, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The problem is only getting worse. Each year, nearly one million Americans are evicted from their homes. [1] Many more struggle to find affordable housing. 

A growing number of families who do not own a home cannot afford their monthly rent; one in four of these families are just one paycheck away from homelessness. [2] After seeing progress in providing shelter and housing for people over the last decade, we are now seeing a reversal. Last year, nationwide, the number of people living on the streets went up for the first time in 10 years. [3]

As the leader of the nation’s largest integrated health system and a proud American, it pains me to pass by men, women, the elderly and even children living under cardboard boxes on our streets. Every day, millions of Americans access the health care industry in matters of life and death — and our physicians and nurses deliver by providing top-notch health care. But even the best care we can offer is not enough to keep people healthy if they do not have a roof over their head. A safe, stable home is necessary to thrive.

All of us – individuals, CEOs, mayors and business owners – must take on a shared responsibility with our communities to solve this growing public health crisis. For Kaiser Permanente, this responsibility is rooted in our values – we believe that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness require total health of the mind, body and spirit. We know that where and how people live has a big impact on their total health.

The root causes of poor health do not begin in a hospital or clinic. Health begins in our communities. The environment around us matters, which is why, across America, people living just a few miles apart have dramatic differences in health outcomes and life expectancy. Homelessness and health are interconnected.

Health care providers must look beyond the walls of medical facilities and broaden the definition of what it means to provide care. Leading the transformation of health and health care in America requires us to think and act in new ways, reimagining what’s possible.

Today, Kaiser Permanente is committing $200M of our investment portfolio towards affordable housing and other critical community needs through a new “Thriving Communities Fund.” As with all our investments, we expect this to support our bottom line in order to drive affordability for our members. What is truly unique about these impact investments is the potential to also create social good in our communities.

We know that this is not enough; we cannot solve this public health crisis in isolation. While Kaiser Permanente already is partnering with communities across the country to advance programs and policies that will help end homelessness, we are now joining the coalition of Mayors & CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment and advocating for major policy and funding reforms for housing and homelessness programs at the national level. 

There is no simple solution to such a complex problem, yet, with partnerships like the Mayors & CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment, I am optimistic that we can offer a healthier future for America’s homeless.

I call on the public and private sector to join us in investing in the health of our communities. I invite everyone to share responsibility to care for one another – the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, grandmothers and grandfathers, and, of course, the children who shelter under bridges and overpasses with nothing more than the clothes on their back and whatever else they can carry with them.

I am hopeful that, together, we can find solutions for these most vulnerable members of our society as we transform health and health care in America. Join me in reimagining what’s possible.