Homeless

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August 8, 2012 | 6:05 AM | By

Clinic for the Homeless to Open in Oakland

Wendy Georges (second from the left) leads a planning session for the new TRUST Clinic (Photo: David Modersbach)

By Alvin Tran

Alameda County has new plans in store for its homeless population – it intends to open an integrated medical clinic in downtown Oakland.

The TRUST Clinic is one of the county’s newest projects and involves the collaboration of several agencies including Alameda County’s Health Care for the Homeless Program, Social Services Agency and Behavioral Health Services.

But unlike other clinics in Alameda County, TRUST will be one of just two which will offer integrated health services, including primary care, behavioral health, case management with housing assistance, and medical-legal partnerships.

“This clinic is a very innovative idea. It’s not something that’s being done in very many places,” said Dr. Michael Boroff, a clinical psychologist who will be working at the clinic. “It embraces the integrated health care … with medical and mental health and all of these different aspects of services combining and working together as a team.”

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FILED UNDER: Place Matters, Homeless, Mental Health
August 1, 2012 | 2:54 PM | By

Mobile Health Vans Care for Alameda’s Homeless

By Alvin Tran

Alameda County Mobile Health Services Unit van, set up to treat patients in downtown Berkeley. (Photo: Alvin Tran)

The walking wounded wander the streets of Alameda County.

They are people who are homeless and live day to day in public parks and shelters. They are people in need of support for mental health issues and drug and alcohol addiction. And says Addie Brown, they are also one of the most difficult groups of patients to treat.

Brown would know. She oversees the operation of the Mobile Health Services Van headed by the Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless Program (ACHCHP). The van travels throughout Alameda County serving approximately 160 homeless individuals each month. A team of healthcare providers, including nurse practitioners and social workers, provide no-cost primary care and support services, such as counseling and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.

“Over the years, we’ve saved a lot of lives. A lot of clients come with conditions that would have gone untreated had we not gone out there. We’ve been able to help them with their medical issues and getting them hooked up to the appropriate clinic, or doctor, or specialty care,” Brown explained. Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Place Matters, Homeless, Mental Health, Mobile Health Care