City of Vernon &
AltaMed Health Services Corp.
On-The-Streets Portable Clinical Care Program
Tonja S. Reidy, AVP, Regional Operations South LA
Jacqueline Nazarian, Associate Director, HIV/ STI Prevention AltaMed
AGENDA
• Background
• AltaMed Health Services
• City of Vernon Unsheltered Population
• Program Goal & Objectives
• Service Coordination Strategies
• Staffing Mobile Medicine
• Mental Healthcare and Substance Use Provide Basic Primary Care Services • Progress by the Numbers
Client Demographics
• Project Progress
Overall Progress
Progress by the Numbers
• Client Demographics
• Program Opportunities
AltaMed City of Vernon Street Medicine
BACKGROUND
AltaMed Health Services Corp.
The "Why"
The Data
AltaMed
ALTAMED HEALTH SERVICES CORP. BACKGROUND
Founded in 1969, AltaMed is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Now the largest FQHC in California, AltaMed's regional health network offers a medical home in Los Angeles (LA) and Orange County (OC) with a full range of primary care and social service programs for over 270,000 patients / clients.
AltaMed is committed to providing quality care without exception to all patients. The portable clinical care pilot targets unsheltered populations and the surrounding community members in Los Angeles County and City of Vernon.
AltaMed provides access to high-quality, comprehensive care to approximately 4,000 individuals Wort mae nut Careen, a lommuter, or working residents and constituents AltaMed l City of Vernon Street Medicine
THE "WHY"
• The City of Vernon and AltaMed Health Services Corp. share a mutual commitment to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of its residents, workers, visitors, and neighboring communities.
• The state of being unsheltered is closely connected to health. • Unsheltered individuals often have serious physical and behavioral health needs but little access to traditional healthcare facilities and providers AltaMed City of Vernon Street Medicine
LO
THE DATA
• There were more than 75,000 unsheltered individuals in LA County in 2023 • Unsheltered homelessness has increased by 14% from 2022 up to more than 55,000 individuals.
• There is also an increase (nearly 50%) of transition-age youth (aged 18-21 years old) who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness in 2023. • Further data shows that 30% of unsheltered individuals experienced a substance use disorder in 2023, an increase from 26% reported in 2022 • The communities served by AltaMed Health Services Corp., including the City of Vernon, have a high rate of overdose deaths, with several communities experiencing rates 25% to 70% higher than the state average of 4.79 deaths per 100,000 individuals.
AltaMed City of Vernon Street Medicine
ON-THE-STREETS PORTABLE
CLINICAL CARE PROGRAM
GOAL & OBJECTIVES
The "Why" & "What" Behind the Work
AltaMed
On-The-Streets Portable Clinical Care Program
GOAL OF STREET MEDICINE
Improve access to healthcare for the unsheltered population as identified in the City of Vernon's 2023 Community Health Needs GOAL Assessment.
Background
While housing for unsheltered individuals is preferred, the city, in partnership with AltaMed, is addressing healthcare access by OBJECTIVES implementing efficient and effective strategies to provide mobile medicine on the streets and in encampment sites.
Program Objectives BACKGROUND
1. Provide basic primary care services and supplies to unhoused individuals.
2. Provide HIV, viral hepatitis (B and C), STIs, Mpox, and TB testing to unhoused individuals and possible drug-using and/ or sexual partners.
3. Provide screening and assessment for mental health, substance use, treatment, and referral.
AltaMed City of Vernon Street Medicine
GOAL OF STREET MEDICINE
• Develop and Implement evidence-based practices tailored to the needs of the population, with a focus on integrating comprehensive care and supportive services.
• Include key practices which addresses psychological and environmental barriers to engagement, with a focus on addressing the health drivers that impact individuals' overall well-being.
• Perform basic primary health care services and conduct screening and assessment of substance use disorders and testing for HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs, Mpox, and tuberculosis.
AltaMed | City of Vernon Street Medicine
SERVICE COORDINATION STRATEGIES
CASE COMMUNITY
MANAGEMENT OUTREACH
Effectively reaching
Increasing access to individuals experiencing
essential support homelessness
services
STABLE TRANSITIONING
HOUSING CARE
Connection to sustainable Support clients returning to
permanent housing options hospirit ons and ER visits
AltaMed | City of Vernon Street Medicine
10 STAFFING MOBILE MEDICINE
COORDINATOR
Supporting with coordination of
day to day activities and
manages reporting and grant
progress.
MAT NAVIGATOR
Provide education and linkage to
substance use treatment and
naloxone distribution.
PREVENTION
SPECIALISTS
Provide outreach, education,
HIV/STI/HCV test counseling and
linkage to services.
CLINICAL CARE TEAM
Support with clinical services CASE MANAGER
such as wound care, treatment,
and screening. Provides individual case
management and access to
essential support services.
AltaMed | City of Vernon Street Medicine
11 MENTAL HEALTHCARE AND SUBSTANCE USE
Comprehensive, accessible
and client focused mental
88 health and substance use
services are available on-
site, emphasizing
responsive care and
recovery oriented support
in alignment with Multi-disciplinary team
Screening and community needs. approach to deliver and
assessment of mental coordinate any services
health conditions and determined to be
co-occurring mental necessary to address
and substance use identified mental health
disorders and substance use
conditions
AltaMed City of Vernon Street Medicine
12 PROJECT PROGRESS AltaMed
PROJECT PROGRESS
• Primary HIV treatment and care providers, have been engaged to strengthen care integration through case management.
• Treatment providers for referrals and linkages to follow-up care and treatment for individuals with viral hepatitis (B or C) are established. • Care providers for referrals and linkages to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) are established.
• Care providers for referrals and linkage to Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) are established.
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Patient Navigator provides support with education, outreach and distribution of Naloxone.
• If needed, Transportation Services have been established for clients AltaMed City of Vernon Street Medicine
14 PROGRESS BY THE NUMBERS
As of March 1, 2025
Data from November 2024 - February 2025
HIV Tests
Outreach
Hygiene Kits
Naloxone | 4
Condoms/Lube 211
PrEP/PEP |4
HIV/STI Treatment |2
100 150 200 250 300 350 400| 450|
*Due to the fires impacting Los Angeles county, the team suspended mobile unit services for three weeks in January and limited activity for the health and safety of the team members and community.
AltaMed City of Vernon Street Medicine
15 CLIENT DEMOGRAPHICS
As of March 1, 2025
Housing Status Male 110
Female I 98
11% 100
Number of Clients
89% American Indian/ Alaska Native
Asian
Black/African American 49
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
White
Not Specified
Declined to Answer 2 20
8 • Unhoused •Stably Housed
• Number of Cients
AltaMed | City of Vernon Street Medicine
16 Program Opportunities
• Engaging the unsheltered population and developing trusting relationships with them
Resolution: Team providing consistent, transparent communication with each individual and providing additional resources beyond the initial visit • Follow-up care to positive viral test results
• Resolution: Providing consistent site set-up near the unsheltered encampments, making it easier, more visible, and more accessible to individuals seeking care • Individuals declining HIV or other STI testing
• Resolution: Team provides education regarding screening, early detection, and access to treatment options
AltaMed
Thank you.
Staff is available to answer any questions.
AltaMed