• Melissa Gambatese, Dova Marder, Elizabeth Begier, Alexander Gutkovich, Robert Mos, Angela Griffin, Regina Zimmerman, and Ann Madsen.
• At the time of the study, Melissa Gambatese, Elizabeth Begier, Regina Zimmerman, and Ann Madsen were with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY. Dova Marder, Alexander Gutkovich, and Angela Griffin are with the New York City Department of Homeless Services, New York, NY. Robert Mos is with the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York, NY.
• Am J Public Health. 2013 Dec 1; 103 Suppl 2: S193-8.

AbstractA homeless mortality surveillance system identifies emerging trends in the health of the homeless population and provides this information to key stakeholders in a timely and ongoing manner to effect evidence-based, programmatic change. We describe the first 5 years of the New York City homeless mortality surveillance system and, for the first time in peer-reviewed literature, illustrate the impact of key elements of sustained surveillance (i.e., timely dissemination of aggregate mortality data and real-time sharing of information on individual homeless decedents) on the programs of New York City's Department of Homeless Services. These key elements had a positive impact on the department's programs that target sleep-related infant deaths and hypothermia, drug overdose, and alcohol-related deaths among homeless persons.

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