City of Spokane partners with CHAS Health to expand street medicine efforts
Erin Hutt, Director of Communications, 509.625.6740
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 10:32 AM
A new partnership between the City of Spokane and CHAS Health will expand street health outreach to the local homeless community.
Ahead of the 2024 legislative session, Challenge Seattle, a coalition of groups working on some of the region's most pressing issues, proposed emergency measures to address the overlapping crises of homelessness, mental illness, and substance use disorders. Among its recommendations was the creation of street health teams that would provide mobile treatment to homeless people to avoid emergency room visits and prevent further crises.
The Washington State Legislature granted the city of Spokane $1 million for this purpose, and on Monday the Spokane City Council approved the city partnering with CHAS to expand its existing street medicine operations.
The CHAS Health Street Medicine team provides primary care, wound care, foot care, referral coordination, resource navigation and emergency services coordination, and the new funding will help expand the team's service hours.
“Communities across our state are on the front lines of a crisis where homelessness, substance use disorders, especially fentanyl, and mental illness intersect. This past legislative session, a coalition formed to support new funding for street medicine, new behavioral health facilities, and the expansion of opioid treatment. As Spokane expands its street medicine program, this proven model provides medical care and mobile treatment to avoid emergency rooms and prevent crises,” said former Governor and Challenge Seattle CEO Chris Gregoire. “We thank Mayor Brown, the City of Spokane, and CHAS Health for their continued partnership as they are on the front lines of addressing this complex crisis with solutions.”
“The CHAS Street Medicine team does incredible work, providing critical services to people experiencing homelessness in Spokane, those battling substance abuse disorders and those struggling with mental illness. As the City seeks better solutions for homeless people, it is essential that we provide them with health care services. We are excited to partner with CHAS to expand the strong work they are already doing,” said Mayor Brown.
“CHAS Health has always been committed to serving everyone, including our houseless neighbors. We launched our Street Medicine program in 2021, providing primary care services in homeless shelters, encampments and on sidewalks. Our Street Medicine teams continue to build trust within these communities to establish continuity of primary care, and this funding will help them continue this important work,” said Aaron Wilson, CEO of CHAS Health.
