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Homelessness & Health Care

Street Medicine

People in California experiencing unsheltered homelessness face barriers accessing health care in traditional settings. They may not have transportation to primary care, preventive care, and nonurgent care facilities, or to pharmacies and specialists.

Street Medicine in California

  • Street medicine is an important access point for people of color, with 25% of street medicine patients identifying as Black and 23% identifying as Latino/x.
  • The majority of street medicine programs provide primary care services. More than two-thirds diagnose and treat mental health conditions and substance use disorders, with 60% providing medication-assisted therapy.
  • Nearly all street medicine patients are insured, with at least 57% having Medicaid and 14% having Medicaid and Medicare.

Source: University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 2022.

Effective, responsive street medicine programs can play a role in addressing this challenge by bringing health care to where people are. Health care programs in these settings might include walking teams of providers, medical vans, and outdoor clinics.

Explore the resources below to understand existing street medicine models in California and the role you can play.

Publication

The California Street Medicine Landscape Survey and Report

March 2023
USC Street Medicine
Homelessness & Health Care
This study is the first to examine and report on the current state of street medicine in California. With the largest concentration of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the nation, California is well positioned to scale the street medicine model to reach more people in need.
Publication

A Game Changer for Street Medicine: Key Takeaways from New Medi-Cal Guidelines

December 2022
Homelessness & Health Care
In November 2022, California’s Department of Health Care Services shared an "All Plan Letter" that could make it easier for communities to establish, maintain, and fully leverage street medicine programs.This issue brief lays out the major implications of this new guidance, along with key issues that remain.
CHCF Blog

Street Medicine in California: ‘Go to the People’

December 2022
Avram Goldstein
Homelessness & Health Care, Behavioral Health, Health Equity
California’s persistent homelessness crisis has fueled rapid growth in community street medicine programs dedicated to bringing health care and social services to unsheltered people.
Publication

Financial Planning for Street Medicine Providers in California

August 2023
Katherine Pocock, Brett Feldman, Alison Klurfeld, Meryl Schulman, Shannon Mead
Homelessness & Health Care
This practical toolkit can help health care providers and community-based organizations in California maximize available funding to support existing street medicine programs, or develop new ones.
Project

Video Series: Street Medicine Teams Deliver Care

June 2023
Homelessness & Health Care
These "video site visits" may be particularly helpful to clinicians or organizations interested in launching or expanding street medicine programs. Viewers will learn about different models, engagement strategies, and street-based health care interventions. The series captures the common philosophy guiding the work and the diversity in practice throughout California.