CRAIG DRESANG

Dear Marlene:

The Board of Directors, as well as the entire Leadership Team, at Yolo Hospice is truly pleased to support your vision for Joshua’s House in Sacramento. The concept of creating a hospice home for people who are terminally ill and homeless is perhaps one of the most compassionate and sensible initiatives our community can support.

The need for this type of supportive environment and care has long outpaced the availability of housing for homeless people who have a life-limiting illness. As a member of the National Partnership for Hospice Innovation, we are committed to providing a crucial safety net for our communities’ sickest and most vulnerable populations. In fact, it is our mission to “Serve our communities by providing the highest level of care for every patient, every family, every time.” Often, that means extending care to the homeless or to individuals who are unable to pay for care, and who are not eligible to receive Medicare, Medi-Cal, or private insurance.

The past decade has produced volumes of research that confirms what those of us in hospice have always known … people who can access hospice earlier in their diagnosis actually live longer and have a higher quality of life. In addition, hospice care keeps terminally ill people out of the hospitals and emergency rooms, thereby reducing healthcare costs in a significant way. Simply put, it is better care for a fraction of the cost.

Yolo Hospice is the first-established hospice provider in the Sacramento Valley and one of just a few programs in Northern California that operates a 4-Star Veterans Program. We will be honored to provide whatever support, leadership, and resources we can to ensure that Joshua’s House is successful and will be a safe supportive refuge for our homeless brothers and sisters.

Kind regards,
Craig Dresang
Chief Executive Officer, Yolo Hospice

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