Welcome House and FwdSlash are partnering on an innovative approach to addressing the intertwined challenges of housing insecurity and healthcare costs.
Welcome House is a leading provider of housing and supportive homeless services in Kentucky. FwdSlash is a Public Benefit Corporation specializing in innovative community and Medicaid solutions to address the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). The two organizations serve as a hub to other healthcare and social service providers to identify individuals who are high-cost and housing insecure or otherwise socially vulnerable.
Other partners in this hub include the Kentucky Housing Corporation, the Center for Great Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Investment Partners.
“This is truly a groundbreaking approach and we’re thrilled to be part of it,” said Danielle Amrine, CEO of Welcome House. “It is that rare win-win where individuals get better help while at the same time their Medicaid providers see a significant reduction in the total Cost of Care.”
FwdSlash provides these individuals with access to housing units on demand, as well as guaranteed food and transportation options. Welcome House provides them housing case management, harm reduction services, as well as job and income access training. They work toward braiding services with local landlords, grocers and food suppliers, transportation companies, healthcare providers and other partners to provide needed and holistic support to the highest cost Medicaid clients.
“Whether in high need unhoused individuals, or the average family in Kentucky, ensuring stability in housing and these other upstream SDoH factors is a key way to prevent costly emergency room and hospitalizations while addressing debilitating chronic diseases,” said Dr. Sameer Sood, CEO of FwdSlash and a practicing Family Medicine physician. “It makes the work of my clinician colleagues easier by addressing a root cause determinant of our patient’s health and health outcomes.”
This approach is rapidly demonstrating success. Already in 2025, for example, several Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) like have seen more than a dozen of their high-cost, high need Medicaid clients successfully housed and stabilized. Other partners benefit from reduced administrative burdens and duplication of services. The effort is rolling out in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Grant, Pendleton, Owen, Gallatin, and Carroll Counties in Kentucky. Welcome House and FwdSlash are hopeful that other MCOs join the mix to support their members.
“We believe Kentuckians already have the tools they need to thrive,” said Joshua Prasad, the COO of FwdSlash and former federal policymaker. “Coordinating existing government and non-profit services, making them work better for some of the most historically un-included individuals has shown over 50% total Cost of Care reduction, by cutting Emergency Room use by up to 80% through our model in other communities – progress we hope to keep building upon across the Commonwealth and region.”