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Shelter the Homeless tells council medically vulnerable shelter served 418 clients in first 15 months
Summary
Shelter the Homeless and partner agencies described the medically vulnerable population (MVP) shelter in Sandy, saying it has provided clinical visits, prescriptions and supportive services since opening in January 2024. Presenters credited an initial $6 million county seed and said ongoing operations receive state funding.
Shelter the Homeless and partner agencies on May 6 briefed the Salt Lake County Council on the medically vulnerable population (MVP) shelter in Sandy, describing services, usage data and partnerships that support clients with complex medical and behavioral needs.
"This seed money of $6,000,000 really was the foundation for this project to actually be built," Laurie Hopkins, executive director of Shelter the Homeless, told the council, describing county support that helped acquire and rehabilitate the facility. Shelter the Homeless said the project cost, including acquisition and rehabilitation, was about $13,000,000.
Officials said the MVP opened to clients in January 2024 and that in calendar year 2024 the program served just under 400 individuals; the presenters reported a total of 418 unique patients and roughly 8,700 clinical visits through the first 15 months. The presenters gave an average client age of 62, with the oldest served at 86 and the youngest at 31; they reported 26 moves from the MVP into permanent housing or long‑term care.
The medical model is led on‑site by Fourth Street Clinic and includes a mobile medical bus, a physician assigned part time to the MVP, nursing staff, EMTs on site from 6 a.m. to midnight, an on‑site therapist, a pharmacist who works with diabetes patients and performs medication reconciliation, a point‑of‑care lab and a transportation specialist to help clients attend appointments. "We have a full service clinic," a Fourth Street Clinic representative said, describing the combination of mobile and on‑site care.
Presenters said the program has delivered more than 5,400 prescriptions since January 2024 and that Shelter the Homeless has provided more than 80,000 hot meals at its facilities (the figure was given by shelter staff during the presentation). The shelter also described facility upgrades completed to serve up to 65 clients including a central fire alarm system, upgraded sprinklers, five ADA compliant rooms, a purpose‑built clinic and lab, laundry, a fenced courtyard, security cameras and 24/7 security contracted through Shelter the Homeless.
On intake and eligibility, presenters emphasized the MVP is not a walk‑up shelter; referrals are routed through an online intake process and Fourth Street Clinic reviews medical histories and supporting releases of information before admission. The presenters said the intake/assessment process typically takes about two to three weeks, depending on needed releases and clinical records.
Funding for acquisition and initial rehabilitation combined county seed money with other partners. Presenters said ongoing operational funding currently comes from the Utah Office of Homeless Services; Shelter the Homeless and partners also seek philanthropy and other grants to support programming. Shelter representatives said the model is unique in the state and that they are coordinating weekly with Sandy law enforcement to monitor neighborhood impacts; they reported a roughly 32% reduction in emergency calls for the zone after adding an EMT swing shift and refining on‑site protocols.
Council members asked about eligibility, timeliness of referrals and the risk of federal cuts to Medicaid or other programs; several council members urged Shelter the Homeless to notify the council if federal funding changes would affect operations. The presenters said they will provide periodic updates to both Sandy City and Salt Lake County.
