FLINT, MI - A $20,000 donation from the A.G. Bishop Charitable Trust will support McLaren Flint's Family Medicine Residency Program's Street Medicine Initiative.
This outreach program provides free health care services to those in need through visits to Flint-area shelters, according to a news release.
The funding will be used to purchase medical supplies, clothing and other essentials.
"This program and its general mission are a tremendous positive for Flint, and we are incredibly grateful to the Trust for its financial and moral support," Dr. Prabhat Pokhrel, founder and faculty member of McLaren Flint's Family Medicine Residency Program, said in a statement.
"In addition to the primary objective of providing medical care to those who might otherwise not receive it, street medicine builds and establishes a trust with the community by demonstrating that we are true in our determination of ensuing access to health care for everyone in our community."
A team comprising a family medicine attending physician, two McLaren Flint family medicine residents, and a behavioral health clinical psychology fellow travels in a designated van to deliver basic health care services and support to Flint's underserved population.
Services include blood pressure measurements, cholesterol, glucose, and other blood screenings, basic wound care, medication refills if needed, and EKGs if the patient's symptoms require it. Warm clothes and other garments are provided as needed.
The program originated in 2021 when the Family Medicine Residency Program was seeking to expand the scope and range of its program. Inspired by the national Street Medicine movement, a group drove around Flint actively seeking out people to help.
As the program evolved, a schedule of days and times were set at local shelters for the McLaren Flint team to visit and provide care along with other essentials for those without a home.
"Street medicine and caring for patients in need not only helps improve health and general wellness, but it also helps our providers develop empathy in their care," Dr. Robert Flora, McLaren Health Care chief academic officer, said in a statement.
"Providers can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and barriers many people face when accessing health care -- an experience that fosters compassion -- and enables them to develop patient-centric approaches for all those they care for."
The program, which visits the Carriage Town Ministries every Thursday morning and the Center for Hope on Thursday afternoons, was a previous beneficiary of the Fenton-based A. G. Bishop Charitable Trust.
In 2022 and 2023, the Trust also provided funds to the Street Medicine initiative, choosing to continue its support for a third consecutive year and a total of $45,000.