The County of Sacramento Department of Health and Human Service, Primary Health Services (DHHS/PHS), Clinic Services Branch began direct outreach services to the Homeless population in early Fall of 1988. The homeless population has access to three County clinics and a variety of specialty program sites serving the County’s indigent as well as homeless populations. During the 2008 Calendar year, over 18000 unique homeless patient encounters were made within the County clinic system through county clinics, and a variety of homeless program outreach sites. These homeless consumers made over 30,000 visits (this includes dental visits). Services provided are outpatient primary and public health care services; and referrals through contracts with local specialty doctors and hospital organizations, inpatient and other secondary and tertiary health care services. In addition, referrals services for Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol services are available through internal County service departments.

The HCH program operates in a collaborative effort with other community based non-profit health and social service programs; in addition to the County Clinic sites. Documented operational agreements with shelter and other homeless service programs within the community provide outreach capabilities by public health nurses by which to conduct triage assessments on homeless clients. Care provided by the HCH staff entail the following:  Public Health services; Health Education workshops; Well Child Clinics; Public Health Nurse outreach services in shelter sites; Tuberculosis screening and testing within shelters and homeless clinic; and primary health services. The outreach nurses provide services from 8:00am – 6:30pm, Monday through Friday.

The majority of homeless individuals receive health services at our homeless health care clinic as well as other County clinic sites. The homeless clinic is located in an area where a large population of homeless men and women congregate. This clinic is called Mercy Clinic / Loaves and Fishes (MCLF). Services at this clinic are from 7:30am – 4:00pm, Monday thru Friday; services focus on the acute and episodic health care needs of homeless population exclusively. This clinic is a collaborative effort between the Sacramento County HCH program, Catholic Healthcare West and Loaves and Fishes, Inc. Another collaborative serving the homeless population involves a well child clinic, twice monthly, at a local shelter in collaboration with the University of California, Davis Medical Center third year pediatric residents.

Recent successes in our strategic planning efforts have led to the most recent collaboration with local private dentists. To date five local dentists have volunteered free restorative dental services for transitionally housed homeless adults who have demonstrated efforts integrating back into mainstream society. Two of the five dentists were recently recognized in the local newspaper – Sacramento Bee; and one of the two was voted volunteer of the year among the DHHS / PHS division volunteers.