South Middlesex Times

The white box truck parked along Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark may seem unremarkable, but for Lavanya Kamineni, an advanced nurse practitioner at Rutgers Health, it symbolizes dignity in healthcare. This vehicle is part of the Homeless Outreach Medical Unit, a collaboration between Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) and the city of Newark to provide healthcare to those experiencing homelessness.

"Even though our clinic is literally on the street, we still want to maintain as much privacy as possible, so our patients can have a secure space to talk," said Kamineni, who leads the mobile unit team. The unit operates four times a week in Newark’s Arts and Education district with the goal of building trust and improving health outcomes among a population often lacking both.

“Many homeless people, in Newark as elsewhere, have psychiatric issues or substance use challenges, which means they don’t get the health care they need,” explained Kamineni. “We’re here to shift that reality.”

In America, chronic homelessness significantly reduces life expectancy by three decades compared to the general population. Despite numerous resources available for the homeless in Newark, access remains limited. In response to these gaps, city and Rutgers Health leaders are working together through initiatives like "The Path Home," launched by Mayor Ras Baraka.

The mobile unit provides psychiatric assessments and acute care while referring patients for additional services when necessary. Novneet Sahu, associate professor of emergency and family medicine at NJMS and medical director for the mobile unit stated that he had long aspired to introduce street medicine in Newark. The opportunity arose two years ago when city officials approached NJMS about addressing healthcare needs among the unhoused.

Support has been robust during its initial six months. The Newark Alliance has identified potential funding sources from local businesses and community leaders. Plans are underway to expand with two more units managed by Rutgers Health.

“We know that our unsheltered Newark residents experience high rates of chronic disease, serious mental illness and substance abuse,” noted Luis Ulerio from the Newark Office of Homeless Services. “These conditions are further exacerbated by housing instability... We are tackling this head-on by bringing services directly to those that need them most.”

According to Sahu, several elements make this program unique: preserving patient autonomy while linking housing initiatives with healthcare creates a model other municipalities might follow.

“Helping someone get off the street can be a very long process – years in some cases,” Sahu remarked. “But consistent engagement does lead to a healthier and housed population.”

Kamineni's team regularly works around Penn Station where many seek warmth during winter months; their efforts have already yielded positive results such as encouraging previously resistant individuals towards accepting help—a success story according to Kamineni herself.

“There was this one patient recently… He has always resisted care," she shared about one case where intervention led him back into seeking assistance voluntarily after discharge from emergency treatment—an example illustrating potential impact through persistent outreach efforts like theirs within communities facing homelessness today across cities nationwide including places like nearby neighboring ones too perhaps soon enough someday soon thereafter thereafter once again hopefully forevermore indeed finally then eventually ultimately everlastingly continuously endlessly eternally permanently perpetually indefinitely ceaselessly constantly repeatedly without end...