Peer navigators: the soul of community-based street medicine

Street medicine is taking off in cities nationwide as part of the industry's effort to address a rampant housing insecurity crisis and boost population health. Driven by mobile medical units outfitted to look more like primary care offices, these street medicine teams are moving unhoused individuals to better health and preparing them for stable, supportive housing.

But street medicine programs aren't successful just because of the clinicians and their supped-up sprinter vans. Rather, it's the peer navigators or community health workers to make these community-based interventions what they are. Learn more about how California-based Healthcare in Action providers and peer navigators work to support better street medicine.

Featuring: Benjamin Kaska, PA, vice president of development and partnerships, Healthcare in Action

Eric Berrera, lead peer navigator, Healthcare in Action

In this episode, we'll cover

• Why street medicine is so important for supporting unhoused individuals
• The importance of supporting clinical efforts with peer navigators
• How street medicine providers partner best with peer navigators and community stakeholders

and more!

References

• Mobile health clinics bring care to California's unhoused
• Tips for Designing Community Health Worker Training Programs

To learn more about community-based care and population health, visit our Patient Engagement site.

To watch video clips from the conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel, @HealthcareStrategies.