News

Health Professionals Receive Training to Better Treat Unsheltered Populations Across California Thanks to $1.5 Million Grant from Health Net

Date: 02/14/23

Street Medicine programs in California are expanding at a rapid rate. With over 20 programs started within the last four years, many of which have been driven by a response to the rising rates of homelessness.

These programs are new and seek to gain experience in training and stretching systems to meet the demand. Health Net will provide a $1.5 million grant over the next three years to Keck School of Medicine of USC Division Street Medicine (USC Street Medicine). This grant will fund USC Street Medicine programs and goals: 

• Street Medicine Foundations Program: This program is for existing teams or those who want to learn more about street medicine. The three-day experience will cover a broad range of topics including best clinical practices, outreach and engagement strategies, and government policies and programs to help patients. It will be open to street medicine teams from across California.


• USC Street Medicine Affiliate Program: This program provides technical support available to organizations who are ready to build or expand a street medicine program. It will provide expert-level knowledge for the program to be developed, launched and then improved. This will be open to a smaller cohort of street medicine teams.

Both programs are designed to prepare a new street medicine workforce to help deliver care to people experiencing homelessness in the places where they live – on sidewalks, in parks and under bridges. 

Funding will also be used to support the CA Street Medicine Collaborative where organizations can learn from each other on how to incorporate street medicine into mainstream health care.

Health Net works to address all factors that impact health – including homelessness. Learn more about our grants, investments and programs to support California’s most vulnerable residents. (PDF)