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.
Alex Bradbury, a nurse practitioner for CalOptima Health’s Costa Mesa street medicine team said, “Seeing everything from wounds to swollen legs, elevated blood pressure, substance use and definitely some mental health disorders as well.”