SFCHC's Street Medicine Program: Progress Report

 

On any given night, more than 75,000 people in Los Angeles County – and an estimated 10,701 people in the San Fernando Valley alone – experience homelessness. Nearly three out of four live on the streets in tents, makeshift shelters or vehicles. Since most don’t have the means or mobility to visit a doctor, their medical conditions often worsen or become life-threatening. 

 

Living on the streets is not only unhealthy, it’s dangerous. Unsheltered individuals and families face additional health risks related to violence, environmental exposure, food insecurity and sleep deprivation.

 

To help serve the most vulnerable, in September 2023, San Fernando Community Health Center (SFCHC) joined a growing movement to transform the way healthcare services are delivered by launching a Street Medicine Program. 

 

Made possible by a $900,000 grant from Providence Health Services’ community benefits program and additional in-kind support, SFCHC’s new street medicine team brings care directly to people where they live on the street, rather than within the four walls of a clinic, office or hospital. There are some 53 street medicine teams in California and 14 in Los Angeles County currently operating. 

 

Through May 2024, our SFCHC street medicine team has completed 540 visits, served 250 unique patients and partnered with North Valley Caring Services, Volunteers of America and Saint Borromeo Catholic Church. SFCHC also participates in the USC California Street Medicine Collaborative, which aims to address community health concerns before they intensify and incorporate street medicine into traditional healthcare.

 

“USC research shows that a staggering 51% of our nation’s unsheltered population resides within California, and that many individuals and families don’t have a stable place to call home due to the state’s growing housing crisis,” said SFCHC Special Projects Director Heidi Lennartz. “Others come with histories of abuse, trauma and addiction, and are not comfortable receiving care in traditional settings.” 

 

Most street medicine patients qualify for Medicare or Medi-Cal insurance coverage. However, being treated by a street medicine team, rather than a managed care provider, often creates a significant barrier to care. The California Department of Health Care Services is creating a pathway for street medicine teams to serve as direct access providers, a solution that can expand the delivery of primary care and reduce emergency room visits. 

 

 

Working from a branded van equipped with basic medical supplies, SFCHC’s two- or three-person street medicine team visits designated locations and safe parking zones in Sylmar, Pacomia, North Hills, Panorama City and North Hollywood twice a week. Core members include a nurse practitioner, medical assistant and community health worker trained in the standards of care for street medicine. Mental health and other support services are coordinated by the SFCHC case management team. 

 

Using proven outreach and engagement strategies, SFCHC’s street medicine team provides:

 

“Street medicine helps break down health inequities by connecting with individuals and families who are living with the complexities of homelessness,” said Lennartz. “By bringing healthcare directly to those on the streets, we are addressing immediate medical needs, fostering relationships of trust and paving the way for lasting change.”

 

For more information, please contact William Garcia, program coordinator and case manager, at 747.832.0211 or wgarcia@sfchealthcenter.org.