FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Carmela Solorzano
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
Communications Office
(509) 454-4143 ext. 1148 | ynhs.org
communications@ynhs.org
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services Earns National Medical Respite Certification
Yakima, WA — Yakima Neighborhood Health Services (YNHS) is proud to announce that it has become one of the first organizations in the state of Washington to receive National Certification for Medical Respite Care from the National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) through the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.
This national certification recognizes that the YNHS Medical Respite Program has met rigorous standards and demonstrated strong alignment with the Council’s Guiding Principles for Medical Respite Care and Standards for Medical Respite Care Programs. To earn this designation, organizations must undergo a comprehensive application and assessment process, including a detailed program review and on-site evaluation, demonstrating that they operate according to best practices in medical respite care for people experiencing homelessness.
YNHS’s certification reflects:
- Full participation in the National Certification Process
- Verified adherence to national principles and standards of medical respite care
- Demonstrated capacity to provide safe, quality, recovery-focused services for unhoused individuals
- Strengthened partnerships supporting coordinated care
Rhonda Hauff, President and CEO of Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, said the recognition honors years of commitment to community needs.
“The application took several months, topped off by a site visit in early November.” Hauff went on to explain, “Our Medical Respite Program started in 2010, when a group of unhoused individuals participating in a focus group told one of our board members, ‘…we need a place to be when we’re sick…’ and from there, through partnerships and perseverance we have achieved national certification.”
Medical respite care provides short-term clinical and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover on the streets or in shelters but do not require hospitalization. YNHS has operated its program for 15 years, providing a critical place for healing and stability.
“Achieving national certification underscores the quality of our program and the dedication of our team,” Hauff added. “Most importantly, it reflects our continued commitment to ensuring that our unhoused neighbors have a safe place to recover with dignity.”
For more information about Yakima Neighborhood Health Services and its medical respite program, visit ynhs.org.
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About Yakima Neighborhood Health Services (YNHS)
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services (YNHS) is a Community Health Center committed to providing high-quality, affordable primary medical, dental, behavioral health care, and social services to individuals and families across Yakima County. With clinics and resource centers stretching from Yakima to Sunnyside, YNHS provides comprehensive and compassionate care for all—regardless of ability to pay.