Catholic Diocese Tucson

CATHOLIC OUTLOOK 3 OCTOBER 2019 By MICHAEL BROWN Managing Editor Catholic Community Ser- vices will be among a group of community sponsors announc- ing a public phase to raise money for a medical respite center for the homeless in need of a facility to recover from surgeries. CCS leaders, Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger and Bishop-emeritus Gerald F. Ki- canas will join Rabbi Thomas A. Louchheim, fromTucson Congregation Or Chadash, and St. Joseph Sister Adele O’Sullivan at a press confer- ence at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson, on Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. Sister O’Sullivan earned her medical degree from the University of Arizona in 1984 and served for several years in the Diocese of Tucson. She began a Maricopa County program called Circle the City, providing medical services to the homeless, in 2008. Peg Harmon, chief execu- tive officer of CCS, said Sept. 10 that about $2.3 million in private donations has been raised so far toward the $5.2 million construction costs of the Medical Respite Center for Homeless Men andWomen. She hoped that by publicly discussing the new facility, the balance of funding will come in by Spring 2020, with plans to break ground that summer. The 15,000-square-foot, two-story building would be on the property adjoining the El Rio Health Center on 22nd Street, near Kino Parkway. The facility will include 45 beds, including two designated for hospice care and nine for women. Harmon said organizers are planning to open the facil- ity for business in January or February 2021. Discussions began sev- eral years ago, when Bishop Kicanas asked Harmon to determine if homeless men and women received sufficient follow-up care after being released from local hospitals. A32-member community task force was formed that included leaders from area shelters, vet- erans’ groups, health insurers and various Tucson neighbor- hoods. The study concluded that nearly 1,500 homeless adults each year failed to receive appropriate follow-up care, sometimes leading CCS to seek public support for homeless medical respite center See RESPITE on page 13 Outlook graphic courtesy of CCS Artist’s rendering of respite center