It's been about eight years since the Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center started doing street medicine, but it wasn’t until 2023 that it became a full-time program. The program addresses the need for healthcare services for people experiencing homelessness.
Street medicine patient navigator Nate Hakeem and nurse Miki Villaverde canvas from Waikōloa to Ho'okena. The services range from wound care and physician referrals to insurance enrollment and recovering essential documents.
Over the past year, the street medicine program has increased its reach. In 2024, they had 365 patient encounters. As of this August, they've already had 300 this year.
A text version of this story will be available later today.
