Healthcare
Street Medicine
Since its inception, LSM has partnered with several other community organizations including The Night Ministry, Housing Forward, and Chicago Street Medicine to bridge some of the gaps in medical care for individuals experiencing homelessness. We currently engage in weekly outreach on Thursday evenings from 8pm-midnight through a mobile clinic that is set up at our local Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) terminal station. Here, a team of 3-4 medical students, 1-2 residents, and a supervising attending see anywhere from 15-25 patients a night who present with medical complaints. The medical team addresses a variety of complaints ranging from musculoskeletal pain and wound care, to checking vital signs and refilling medications. The LSM team also assists with other outreach services to the remaining 80-120 clients who come through the CTA station for non-medical needs. Volunteers help with assembly and distribution of hygiene kits, organize regular clothing drives, and assist with food distribution. In the last year, we have been able to expand our outreach services to include dental and ophthalmology screenings, in addition to a new partnership with Shower Up Chicago to provide showers to clients.
Write Inn Clinic
In addition to our Thursday evening CTA mobile clinic, LSM volunteers assist with a weekly medical clinic at the Write Inn, which is currently being used as interim housing for Housing Forward’s clients. Medical student volunteers work with the community nurse every Monday evening to help address any health concerns posed by clients at the Write Inn. LSM has organized Covid-19 and flu vaccination clinics, developed educational sessions on topics such as wellness and nutrition, and provided health screenings for new clients when they enter interim housing.