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Interim Care Program Celebration and Open House
Former ICP client Sherry Stephens gives her testimony
Healing the homeless--together. That has always been the goal of the Interim Care Program (ICP), a respite-care shelter for homeless patients discharged from hospitals.
Recently, those involved with the ICP, opened the shelter's doors for an open house and celebration of the first 30 months of operation. County of Sacramento Board of Supervisors Roger Dickinson and the Effort's CEO Bob Caulk were keynote speakers at the event, and many past clients gave their testimonies about their time at the ICP. The celebration occurred during National Health Center Week, which is the second week of August dedicated to recognizing services and contributions of various health centers including homeless ones.
Since the grand opening in early 2005, the Interim Care Program has served more than 300 patients.
The ICP is a collaboration between Kaiser Permanente; Mercy; Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento; UC Davis Health System; the County of Sacramento; The Salvation Army and a community based organization, The Effort. The facility is located inside The Salvation Army’s B Street Center of Hope building.
“The ICP Celebration was a wonderful time to celebrate the accomplishments of the program over the last 30 months,” said Petra Stanton, Effort’s director of Health Program Development. “ICP continues to offer people a place to heal not only physically but emotionally as well – helping people move out of homelessness. The community partnership and caring staff make this possible.”
The Interim Care Program has also received some high praises when it was awared with the 2006 California State Association of Counties Challenge Awards merit certificate for innovative and unique program and services in Sacramento County.
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