Homeless child received health care at Covenant House

Jodie's arms were scarred, and so was her heart. Our healthcare and educational programs helped her heal.

Homeless children are highly susceptible to injury and illness, and they barely have enough money to eat regular meals, let alone pay for a visit to the doctor.

At Covenant House, primary medical care is free of charge to homeless, runaway, and at-risk kids, ages 21 and younger, as soon as they walk through our doors. Kids like Jodie might have never survived the trauma of their pasts without the help of Covenant House Healthcare Services.

General Healthcare

All new residents receive physical exams shortly after they arrive at a Crisis Center. For many, it’s the first check-up they've had in years; for some, it’s the first one they’ve ever had.

Our doctors and nurses provide immediate healthcare service on-site or refer patients to local hospitals, clinics, or medical centers. Homeless kids can find the care they need, whether it’s medical, psychological, psychiatric, optometric, dental, or other special services. The kids are also given important information on nutrition, disease prevention, and other issues related to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Mental-Health Services

A vital component of our Healthcare Program is mental health services. Nearly 15 percent of the 18-to-21-year-olds in our Crisis Centers struggle with serious mental health problems that require a range of psychiatric services.

And we’re working to further improve the services we offer through continuing staff training, expanding our counseling schedules, developing psycho-educational life skills workshops, providing recreational activities for the mentally ill, and more.

Substance-Abuse Services

Many kids turn to drugs or alcohol to cope with their homelessness, the difficulties of life on the street, and the circumstances that landed them there.

All Covenant House sites provide some level of substance-abuse assistance on-site including counseling, therapy, education, and support groups. Staff members also refer clients to other clinics and hospitals for more comprehensive services such as inpatient detoxification, residential rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, and counseling.