Improving Health for Homeless Identify one national population health goal or objective that relates to the identified risk or disparity, such as Healthy People 2030 or another national initiative

Propose one strategy for the advanced practice nurse to collaborate at the local, state, or national levels to advocate for the health of the vulnerable population and advance the identified Healthy People 2030 goal or objective

Identify the stakeholders with whom the advanced practice nurse could collaborate.

Provide an in-text citation from two scholarly sources to support your writing.

Advancing Health for Homeless Populations

National Health Goal

One key goal from Healthy People 2030 is SDOH-01: Increase the proportion of people with stable housing. Housing instability is a major barrier to good health, making it harder for people to manage chronic illnesses, access healthcare, and maintain mental well-being (Hwang et al., 2020).

Strategy for Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs)

APNs can advocate for housing-first programs, which prioritize getting people into stable housing before addressing other health and social needs. A key strategy is working with policymakers to integrate mobile health clinics and community-based healthcare into housing initiatives. This would provide consistent medical care, mental health support, and substance use treatment directly where people live.

Key Stakeholders

• Local: Homeless shelters, public health departments, and community organizations.
• State: Medicaid programs, housing agencies, and social services.
• National: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), National Alliance to End Homelessness, and the American Nurses Association (ANA).

By working with these groups, APNs can help shape policies, secure funding, and expand healthcare services to improve the well-being of homeless individuals. Improving Health for Homeless

References

• Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Social determinants of health: Economic stability. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://health.gov/healthypeople
• Hwang, S. W., Burns, T., & Grenier, D. (2020). Health care utilization among homeless individuals: A review of the literature. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 192(3), E82-E92. APA