Resource providers such as street medicine and mobile health services provide direct
healthcare to the homeless in their living areas, such as streets and encampments. Service
schedules are available on respective websites. Despite Sacramento's extensive agency
support system for the unhoused, paperwork and high caseloads often delay assistance. We
endorse a shared referral network system to decrease wait times and improve access to shelter,
housing, and food. Identifying veterans, especially female veterans, is crucial, as they can
access additional resources through local Veteran Administration Centers.
The Master Plan
Utilizing referral sources through a patient information tracking system can expedite assistance for the homeless, minimizing the need for lengthy forms and reducing bureaucratic red tape. The power of a well-integrated referral network can enhance collaboration among all agencies tasked with providing services, ensuring more efficient and effective support.
Street Medicine
Radical changes in healthcare and insurance have made access challenging, even for those with good insurance coverage and basic knowledge how to navigate through the system. For the homeless, lacking housing, food, and transportation, medical needs often fall last. Street medicine, with its mobile teams, vans, buses, pop-up clinics, and outdoor facilities, serves as a beacon of hope during overwhelming difficulties. Also extending outreach through referrals and partnerships with community agencies, street medicine providers truly are 'street angels.'
Mobile Medicine
Sacramento has an extensive fleet of mobile medical units that serve underserved populations at strategic locations throughout the city and county on specified days. These units operate routinely and function similarly to in-person clinics, collecting patient information during visits. If this information could be shared as referrals with local agencies providing shelter, housing, and food, it could decrease wait times and expedite the receipt of services. Public information about the locations and schedules of these mobile units is available to ensure accessibility.
Veterans
The Veterans Administration operates numerous offices in the Sacramento region, which helps reduce wait times for veterans to receive services and provides a valuable resource of information. It is crucial to identify homeless individuals who are veterans to ensure they receive the support they need.