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An interdisciplinary street outreach program to engage vulnerable neighbors in care
Author(s) -
Doran Kelly,
Doede Megan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/phn.12829
Subject(s) - outreach , nursing , public health , poverty , psychological intervention , health care , medicine , community engagement , social work , psychology , public relations , political science , law
Those experiencing poverty, homelessness, or behavioral health disorders are difficult to engage and maintain in health care services. These vulnerable populations experience unique barriers to engagement in health care services, which fuel health inequity. We need innovative approaches to address this need. This paper discusses the reciprocal relationship between a community center and a local university, which led to a street outreach program that provides a dynamic interprofessional experience for nursing, medical, and social work students and helps connect vulnerable populations to care. Over 12 weeks, students interacted with 127 neighbors. The most common interventions used were as follows: support and encouragement, health teaching, providing medical supplies, and/or referrals to the community center to meet with case management and/or attend the nurse‐run public health clinic. The encounters often resulted in neighbors’ goals being met, neighbors’ planning to use the community outreach center (COC) in the future, and neighbors leaving the encounter with a plan to manage their health.