About the Fellowship
The Bailey-Boushay House-Humanity in Action Fellowship provided Senior Fellows the opportunity to work on issues related to healthcare and homelessness in Seattle. Senior Fellows worked with leaders at Bailey-Boushay House to research and document the experiences of homeless individuals receiving care through the institution with a goal of better understanding the root causes of poverty and homelessness in the greater Seattle area. This fellowship involved a significant amount of contact with the LGBTQ population and individuals challenged by end-of-life diagnoses, chemical dependence, mental health conditions and sex work. Senior Fellows worked collaboratively with the Outpatient Program of nine social workers and the leadership of Bailey-Boushay House.
The Bailey-Boushay House-Humanity in Action Fellowship was a three month opportunity offered in 2017 and 2018. One Senior Fellow was selected each year.
Virginia Mason Medical Center is a leading non-profit healthcare institution in quality improvement recognized globally for its efforts to reduce patient harm and improve quality through its lean process measures aimed at diminishing healthcare waste and enhancing efficient care. Established 25 years ago, Bailey-Boushay House at Virginia Mason was the first facility built from the ground up to serve people with AIDS at the end of life and remains a center for excellent care for terminally-ill patients in Seattle. Bailey-Boushay House today serves a diverse patient population as a nursing home, including patients with HIV/AIDS, cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease among other conditions. Bailey-Boushay House has a physician-directed 24 hour nursing and end-of-life care mission with licensed nurses on all shifts, a large base of volunteers working with patients, and a robust outpatient program of social workers who work with clients seen at the institution. Bailey-Boushay House has been working in recent years to establish a shelter for homeless persons, including over 170 homeless individuals seen currently through its Outpatient Program. As part of its goal to develop this shelter, Bailey-Boushay House would like to formally document the human stories behind homelessness.
