Medical Respite Shelter – Health Recovery Homes

Our Health Recovery Homes offer medical respite shelter for patients experiencing homelessness to live in after being discharged from the hospital. 

Here, patients can focus on their health and goals in a safe, stable environment. No other Indianapolis organization offers respite homes like these, providing 16 patients at a time the opportunity to recover without living in a shelter or on the streets.

REFER A PATIENT TO THE PROGRAM

All patients must meet the criteria below to be eligible to stay at Gennesaret's Health Recovery Homes. If you are representing a patient and they meet all of the criteria and consent to sending an application, please complete the Referral Form linked below.

HEALTH RECOVERY HOME REFERRAL FORM

The patient is experiencing homelessness.
The patient is over the age of 18.
The patient does not have a child who would also require housing.
The patient is continent of their bowel and bladder.
The patient can independently perform all activities of daily life.
The patient is compliant with their medication regimen.
The patient, if needed, has clear physical therapy or occupational therapy instructions.
The patient is able to transfer without assistance.
The patient is free from active contagious diseases, such as COVID-19 or Monkeypox.
The patient does not suffer from hallucinations or psychosis.
The patient’s hospitalization did not occur as a result of a mental health crisis.
The patient is not a registered Sex Offender.
The patient has no active warrants for their arrest.
The patient does not currently have a catheter, colostomy bag, or feeding tube.
The patient is not currently detoxing from drugs or alcohol.
The patient is not currently using substances and is at minimum 14 days clean of substance use.
The patient is cooperative and non-confrontational.

Gennesaret’s Health Recovery Homes were the first of their kind when they opened in Indiana in 2000.

Gennesaret opened Indiana’s first respite care program in 2000, housing men experiencing homelessness who were discharged from hospitals. In 2016, Gennesaret opened a home dedicated to serving women and named this home Rebecca’s House in honor of Rebecca Seifert, Gennesaret’s founding Executive Director (served 1995-2019).

Now, this program continues to provide comprehensive support to help individuals regain stability and self-sufficiency. Within 72 hours of admission, residents receive an individualized mental health treatment plan through Pathway Counseling and Consulting. Medical case management is provided by our onsite Registered Nurse, while ongoing advocacy and permanent housing support come from our onsite Case Manager. Residents also benefit from behavioral and emotional development services through Emberwood Center, and specialized support for veterans experiencing homelessness in partnership with Helping Veterans and Families.

We have helped nearly 900 residents transform their lives since 2000. Here are just three of their stories.

Antowne

Program Graduate

Antowne was a recent resident of GFC’s Health Recovery Homes who not only defeated cancer, but also defeated homelessness.

Antowne was living on the streets with the devastating diagnosis of cancer. Everything changed when Antowne came to stay with Gennesaret Free Clinics. He fought so hard and made incredible milestones in his fight for wellness, even completing his radiation treatments. Then, Antowne accomplished something equally life-changing: he secured permanent housing.

Now, Antowne is enjoying living independently, and happens to be neighbors with a resident who completed our program at the same time—Anthony!

Anthony

Program Graduate

Anthony’s journey is a powerful example of how support can come full circle. As a graduate of our Health Recovery Home program, Anthony not only achieved stability and independence but now gives back to the very community that once supported him. Today, he works at the Food Pantry where our clinic provides medical care six days a week, serving individuals who need help just as he once did.

Through Goodwill’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), Anthony gained valuable job training and skills that helped him re-enter the workforce with confidence. Securing stable housing before his discharge gave him the foundation to rebuild his life. Now, Anthony is thriving and contributing to society by supporting others—a testament to the lasting impact of holistic care and community support.

Julie

Program Graduate

At GFC’s Health Recovery Home, Julie found the support and stability she needed. She felt safe, valued, and cared for… something everyone deserves to feel. Our program provided her with housing, employment opportunities, and the essential resources to regain her footing. She obtained her birth certificate, Social Security card, and food stamps, giving her a renewed sense of belonging and security.

Julie’s journey is a testament to resilience. While at our program, she secured her own housing for the first time in over a year—a place to call her own, where she can decorate, cook, clean, and enjoy the daily rhythms of life. For Julie, this home represents not only a newfound independence but also the strength and determination that have brought her to this moment.

Our Health Recovery Homes offer medical respite shelter for patients experiencing homelessness to live in after being discharged from the hospital.

REFER A PATIENT TO THE PROGRAM

Gennesaret’s Health Recovery Homes were the first of their kind when they opened in Indiana in 2000.

We have helped nearly 900 residents transform their lives since 2000. Here are just three of their stories.

Men's Health Recovery Home

Women's Health Recovery Home