Costa Mesa launches mobile clinic program for homeless people, offering health and social services

COSTA MESA, Calif. (KABC) -- A hospital, a health clinic and the city of Costa Mesa this week launched a street medicine program for homeless people, offering both health and social services.

Residents who live near Lions Park in Costa Mesa regularly encounter people experiencing homelessness when out for a walk.

Anderson Seal was on a walk with his dog Brutus on Wednesday morning. "They'll be kind of lined up off here to the side," Seal said.

He has noticed the impacts being unhoused has had on many of them. "There's a lot of things that are not being taken care of health-wise, nutrition, things of that nature," Seal said.

CalOptima Health has partnered with the city of Costa Mesa and Celebrating Life Community Health Center to roll out a street medicine program that offers primary care and behavioral health services to people who need it most.

The street medicine team was "seeing everything from wounds to swollen legs, elevated blood pressure, substance use and definitely some mental health disorders as well," said Alex Bradbury, a nurse practitioner.

Garden Grove was the first city to launch a mobile clinic in Orange County in April last year.

"Since then more than 315 unsheltered individuals have been served by this program," CalOptima Health COO Yunkyung Kim. "We're really proud that 12 of those individuals have been permanently housed."

The Costa Mesa street medicine team has been on the ground for over a week. Bradbury said they are already building relationships with people living on the street. The street medicine team hopes to help 150 people over the next 18 months.

"Every time we come here there are new faces, people that we're engaging and the response seems to be overwhelming positive so far thankfully," Bradbury said.

"There's more to be done than just this but dedicating our resources to help the people in need, it's a good thing," Seal added.

CalOptima Health plans to expand to a third city in the next few weeks.