As varying levels of government come to realize the extraordinary healthcare costs associated with homelessness, strategies for hospital discharge planning which focus on housing first approaches have become increasingly common. Effective models of discharge planning have been located in various cities across the United States and the United Kingdom (see Bendixen, 2006, Department of Health, St. Mungos, 2012, Department of Health, 2009, Evans, 2012, Tansley and Gray, 2009). The creation and implementation of these models stem from the knowledge that housing stability is one of the key determinants of health. For example, those experiencing homelessness are at greater risk when unsafely discharged from hospital to situations which may put their health at further risk. By promoting housing stability through safe and effective hospital discharge processes, financial savings will be realized by hospitals in the long-term, and “systemic health inequalities” will be reduced (Gaetz, 2012: 9). To underscore the importance of safe and effective hospital discharge practices and to encourage hospitals to develop such practices, Hwang et al (2011) provide some statistics from a study completed in the city of Toronto which indicate the staggering costs of homelessness for the delivery of healthcare: Among a large administrative sample of hospital discharges, homeless discharges cost on average $960 more than housed discharges. After adjustment for age, sex, and resource intensity weight, homeless discharges cost $2559 more than housed discharges for all health care services (496). Through the use of these statistics, Hwang et al encourage hospitals to develop discharge practices for people experiencing homelessness which includes a housing component, intensive case management practices, and streamlined care coordination which is inclusive of local authorities, not-for-profit agencies and community based outreach organizations (2011). Additionally, the importance of adequately educating and training hospital staff cannot be emphasized enough for ensuring patients receive high quality care and the appropriate supports (Department of Health, St. Mungos, 2012). This report provides an environmental scan of safe and effective models of hospital discharge, including a chart citing the location, a brief description of each model, achieved outcomes, and the cost savings realized. Ultimately, this report posits that developing a safe and effective hospital discharge protocol for people experiencing homelessness provides an immense financial benefit for hospitals. As Stephen Gaetz (2012) argues, “the average monthly cost of housing people while they are homeless [is] $10,900 for a hospital bed,” while the average monthly cost to provide stable housing to people in Toronto is $701 for rent supplements or $200 for social housing (p. 5). Not only will hospitals be acting morally and socially responsible while saving money, but they will also be positively contributing to local efforts to prevent homelessness, and to the promotion of the health and well being of patients who have been experiencing homelessness.