One of the greatest challenges workers have is effectively communicating with health care providers to improve access to health care for the people they work with. Building rapport and communicating effectively with health care providers can be an important aid in working positively together. Just as it is important to build relationships between workers and the people they support, relationship building is important between workers and health care providers.

Some ways to build rapport with health care providers to better advocate for people who are homeless are to:

• ask for and offer clarification about any information being discussed to avoid misconceptions
• ask the health care provider to provide explanations in terms that are understandable outside of health care
• act as the go-between for the individual and the health care provider, working to bridge both sides
• identify people or resources needed to assist both the individual and the health care provider