The Mobile Clinic Project at UCLA is a student-run initiative with the goal of providing basic health care and social services to a homeless population in Los Angeles. The project, which commenced October 2000, provides weekly services in a street setting of an industrial area of Los Angeles. The project is run entirely by an interdisciplinary group of UCLA students from the schools of public health, medicine, and the undergraduate college. It represents a unique partnership between the University and the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition (GWHFC), a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that serves meals to the homeless in Hollywood every night of the week. The clinic operates weekly at the GWHFC “site,” a public street corner one block southeast of the major intersection of Santa Monica and La Brea, providing services out of a van to the homeless and transiently housed.

Dr. Mike Prelip in the UCLA School of Public Health was initially contacted by Tim Deegan and Ted Landreth of GWHFC in early 1999 to determine if any groups would be interested in serving GWHFC clients beyond its ability to provide meals. Through a public health service-learning course (Community Health Sciences 196A) coordinated by Koy Parada and sponsored by Dr. Mike Prelip, two undergraduates were assigned to GWHFC as their field site, assisting with food distribution while simultaneously talking to clients about their health needs and barriers faced. Anecdotal information was related to public health students in the core CHS 211 course series, and immediately a group became interested in imparting their in-class group assignments to the community.

Public health students recruited medical and undergraduate students to assist with research, planning and implementation. Year 1 coordinators include Koy Parada, Kevin Riley, Dave Peng (Public Health); Micah Hill, Yee-Li Sun, Patty Koh, Sandy Chuan, and Julie Marshburn (Medicine). Development committee chair is Natalya Mostovskaya (undergraduate), treasurer is Michael Bublik (undergraduate) and referral committee chair is Christopher Biely (undergraduate). A steering committee (30 students from various academic disciplines) was formed, a needs assessment was conducted by Kevin Riley, site visits were made by undergraduate students, and key decision-makers within UCLA and in Los Angeles County were contacted by Koy Parada, Kevin Riley. Faculty sponsors (Mike Prelip from Public Health) and a medical director (Denise Garvey from Internal Medicine/Pediatrics) were identified, an advisory board was convened (Ted Landreth from GWHFC, Mike Prelip and Mike Goldstein from Public Health, Neal Parker and Lillian Gelberg from Medicine), and modest University student group funding was received to initiate the project. Undergraduate students serve as caseworkers, advocating for their clients’ needs; medical students deliver health care under the tutelage of an attending physician, and public health students oversee logistics and operations. The primary aim of the project is to address the barriers to health by offering free basic services, information and referrals to local resources, assistance with transportation and other needs.

As of March 2002, over 150 student volunteers were given opportunities to hone their skills while concurrently providing services to a needy population. The most important outcomes, however, have been to the clients served. Over 200 have received formal services (saw an attending physician), and more than 400 have received referrals, hygiene items or clothing. The project is a long-term effort to make services available to individuals on a regular and ongoing basis and to provide needed care before emergency situations arise. Repeat visits have been made by numerous clients, refuting a common belief that it is not possible to deliver continuous care to the homeless. Some examples of the group’s successes are two family reunifications and helping an injection drug user with and a gangrenous leg wound (due to a 25 year history of diabetes) avoid an amputation and remain sober for over five months.

In 2003, the Mobile Clinic Project expanded its services to a second site, Common Ground, a drop-in site, which serves homeless youth in Santa Monica, and in 2004, UCLA Mobile Clinic caseworkers assist in clinics at Samoshel, a homeless shelter in Santa Monica. We are also in the process of expanding clinical services to Step Up on Second in Santa Monica. Step Up on Second serves dual diagnosed mentally ill homeless individuals.

Additionally, we are looking to collaborate with other providers working with homeless and low-income populations. Incorporating different disciplines and taking a holistic approach to health care, the Mobile Clinic Project welcomes your participation and contribution.