Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) presents an integrated healthcare program for Detroit’s vulnerable population

The strategic concept of combining much-needed healthcare with critical wrap around services gives those in need key access to comprehensive safety-net services.
The Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a firm that delivers holistic care and wrap-around/safety net services to address social determinants impacting health, education, and economic stability, has successfully combined primary health care with behavioral health services to come up with a strategic program aimed at providing much needed medical attention, support and aid to vulnerable populations based in the Detroit metropolitan area.

The integrated initiative complements research findings that many people who have mental health challenges and developmental disabilities are least likely to take care of their health and medical needs. It was also discovered that around 75 percent of this segment in Detroit does not seek medical care over 12 months.
Linda Little, President of the NSO, explains the massive challenge these findings have uncovered: “This demographic pays little attention to their physical health needs until it later becomes a crisis and needs to be addressed immediately. To solve this issue, the NSO has created a key program that seeks to integrate primary health with behavioral health services--giving our clients immediate access to medical care and attention.”
According to Little, another aspect that the NSO has put a key focus on is the growing incidence of homelessness-- where recent reports have shown an increase of 0.7 percent. Concerning this increase, unaccompanied children and young adults make up 14.3 percent, followed by individuals experiencing chronic homelessness at 12.2 percent and lastly by people suffering from unsheltered homelessness at 9.4 percent. The numbers also translate to a staggering 553,742 homeless people on a given night--reflecting a rate of approximately 17 people experiencing homelessness per every 10,000 people in the general population.
She further added that the NSO, which was established almost 67 years ago, is guided by its mission to provide healthcare assistance to older adults with mental illness; children, youth, and adults with developmental disabilities; homeless recovery services; housing development; community outreach for psychiatric emergencies; and volunteer opportunities for individuals, groups, and organizations.
Over the last four years under Little’s leadership, the NSO has developed and successfully rolled-out bespoke programs and initiatives widely based on healthy housing and integrated healthcare.
“Our mandate is clear,: to provide essential healthcare services to those who do not have access, yet badly need it. We shall remain steadfast in out committment to continue to evolve and expand to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in metropolitan Detroit.” concluded Little.
Resources: ​https://apnews.com/press-release/prodigy-news/49dd494bdbd6c162c6322e5e4f5ed329