By Mike Lujan, Contributing columnist
Pain from the indignity of living on the streets can be unbearable. Every day, someone cries out, whether frightened, alone, exhausted, physically abused, injured, humiliated, ashamed, confused — it doesn't matter which of these it is, suffering hurts. And nearly every day the Outside In Healthcare for the Homeless Medical Outreach Program is there to provide relief, bringing medical and health care services directly to the streets and serving the hardest to reach communities. This program addresses the medical needs of homeless men, women, and families (with children/adolescents), including general medical services, pediatric services, focused acute care, adolescent medical services, and STI and HIV testing.
Focus groups include homeless/uninsured single females, men who have sex with other men (MSM), homeless families, homeless/uninsured children and adults, homeless/uninsured females and children and adolescents.
The Homeless Medical Outreach Program currently operates out of a 38-foot mobile medical vehicle. The van provides three fully stocked consultation rooms, a laboratory, and pharmacy area.
Outside In's weekly clinic outreach schedule provides continuous care Monday through Friday and on the fourth Saturday of every month. Outside In's operation is based on various program models, each focusing on a “challenged” group. Providing medical services and health education outreach, it is bringing medical professionals to the people who need their services and skills the most. The program has created a model of health care that allows youths and young adults to access acute care medical services in a non-threatening manner, and works to ensure adequate access to family planning and acute care medical services to women experiencing homelessness and violence. Additionally, the program will provide shelter guests with access to preventive medical examinations, acute medical care, and health care advocacy.
Outside In offers the opportunity for a multi-disciplinary team of health care providers to donate their medical expertise to helping uninsured and underinsured clients. Once per week, a physician from Outside In and a medical assistant/health advocate join forces with Cascade Aids Project and VOZ to provide street-level health care services to Latino day workers. Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, in collaboration with Cascade AIDS Project, Outside In sends a team of providers and support staff to Southeast 82nd Avenue in Portland to bring desperately needed clinical care services to sex workers.
Striving to contribute preventive and life enhancing medical services to communities that do not routinely access primary health care is the primary goal of the Medical Outreach Program. Staffing is provided by the Outside In Medical Clinic. Outreach Medical Director Dr. Wayne Centrone and Outreach Program Coordinators Mr. Jaisen Glowgowski, Ms. Laura Paz, Mr. Liam Pervisky, and Ms. Rebecca Adler lead a team of volunteer providers. Support services and ancillary healthcare are provided through medical assistant volunteers and registered nurses. Medical malpractice insurance is provided through the Multnomah County Volunteer provider network. Bi-lingual (English and Spanish) assistance is available at the mobile medical unit.
If you would like to volunteer, positions are available for volunteer providers in primary care, medical assistants, ancillary healthcare professionals, and mental health professionals; volunteer positions that include direct patient contact and require credentialing with Multnomah County Health Department and a background check with Outside In.