Healthcare Access for The Homeless

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    Homeless or not, affordable healthcare and access to healthcare in general is one of the biggest problems in America. Health issues, whether it's addiction, physical health, or mental health affect a lot of people and can be a major stressor for them. They can completely change and disrupt your life. Access to healthcare is the only way to help mitigate these ailments. That access is not a reality though for a large amount of the homeless population.

Health issues can not only be a cause of homelessness but also be one of the major factors as to why someone remains homeless. A lot of homeless people don’t have any type of health insurance, the means to pay for it, or are even able to physically get access to healthcare due to a lack of unreliable transportation. Even if they are able to get there, they are typically not taken as seriously to due being homeless.


To help remedy this, some organizations have been bringing care to them. Street teams of volunteers and healthcare workers go directly to people. Bringing basic medications and medical supplies, toiletries, and even public transit tickets. They are able to offer consistent care, emergency services, and also direct people with more complex issues towards specific medical professionals.


Resources - https://www.portlandstreetmedicine.org/

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