When Frank Serbay moved to San Diego in 2022, he had nowhere to stay.
“Unfortunately, I got divorced, I got depressed, and I didn't want to stay in Phoenix anymore. So I flipped a coin and landed in San Diego,” Serbay said.
He said he had $100 dollars in his pocket.
“I came off that Greyhound bus and saw all that tents. I'm like, what did I get myself into?”
Serbay, now 59, said he was struggling with alcoholism.
“I lost my job, my house, my car, my dog. I lost everything,” he said.
Serbay found shelter at Father Joe’s Villages in Downtown San Diego. It was at their health center he had a pain in his leg checked for the first time and discovered he had a tumor.
He had surgery to remove a tumor the size of a golf ball. Afterwards he needed additional care.
When discharged from the hospital, recovery often includes time at home. For Serbay and others like him who don’t have permanent housing, finding a place to recuperate poses a challenge.
Scripps Health hospital staff are grappling with this issue. The number of homeless patients they treat has nearly doubled in the last five years from 12,357 in 2019 to 22,227 in 2023. This year they are on track to double that number according to Melody Thomas who directs patient care and case management at Scripps Mercy Hospital.
She works to find unhoused patients recuperative care. She said without a place to heal properly, those requiring ongoing attention may find themselves back in the emergency room within days.
Homeless individuals often seek emergency care for immediate needs but are released when they are medically cleared, even if they require ongoing care.
She said recuperative care is usually recommended when a patient has a higher medical need than what they can manage at a shelter.
State law requires hospitals to track and create discharge plans for homeless patients, connecting them to shelter options. Thomas said the challenge is the shortage of beds and difficulty accessing recuperative care programs.
She said the process to get approved varies by insurance. Some patients who need recuperative care may end up back on the street because there can be a lag between when a patient is released from the hospital and when insurance approves it.
“It's very different to heal in a tent or in a canyon or in the backseat of a car. And so we're able to offer space like this that not only helps them with their physical healing, but with their mental health and just the relief from knowing that they're safe and can heal the way that they need to."Jesse Casement. Casement connects clients to social services at Father Joe's Villages.
Scripps Health does not track the number of patients who qualify for recuperative care but don’t receive it. Thomas said some patients give up during the authorization process, others need it but refuse. Additionally, some may be denied if they are unable to perform daily activities independently.
After his surgery, Serbay recovered in the recuperative care program at Father Joe’s Villages. The program has 28 beds and patients are supported by on-site nurses.
“It's very different to heal in a tent or in a canyon or in the backseat of a car. And so we're able to offer space like this that not only helps them with their physical healing, but with their mental health and just the relief from knowing that they're safe and can heal the way that they need to,” said Jesse Casement. Casement connects clients to social services at Father Joe's Villages.
Serbay recuperated in a clean and safe room shared with just one other person.
“So I got a peace of mind every night since I've been here. I watch my TV on my tablet, and it's just very peaceful,” he said.
After completing the 90-day program Serbay can walk and uses a cane only for stability.
“We have a very short time that we can work with them and recuperative care and our case managers work very hard to help people exit to their next safe destination,” Casement said.
Case managers also help with clients’ finances and housing goals. Serbay is waiting to hear whether he’s been granted housing in a converted hotel room.
“It's just a room, but it's me by myself. And, I mean, I don’t need more than that,” he said.
