California State University, San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus has been awarded a grant from the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation in support of its Nursing Street Medicine Program, which provides compassionate, community-based healthcare to unsheltered and underserved populations throughout the Coachella Valley.
The grant, in the amount of $88,013, will allow the program to enhance its outreach efforts, improve access to essential medical services and provide hands-on clinical training opportunities for CSUSB nursing students. Through this partnership, the Palm Desert Campus (PDC) and the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation are collaborating to address health disparities and expand care to those who are most in need.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation,” said Diane Vines, nursing faculty member and executive director of the Nursing Street Medicine Program at PDC. “This funding enables us to deepen our impact in the community while preparing our students to lead with compassion, cultural competence and a commitment to health equity. This grant represents more than financial support – it’s a vote of confidence in our students, our faculty and our mission to serve. Together with the Desert Healthcare District & Foundation, we are building a healthier, more inclusive Coachella Valley.”
The Nursing Street Medicine Program brings nursing faculty and students directly into the field – meeting patients where they are – delivering basic healthcare, wound care, chronic disease management, glucose monitoring, foot soaks, behavioral health assessments, as well as referrals to primary and specialty care providers and community resources.
Nurse clinics are held at shelters, free food program locations, homeless encampments, senior housing facilities, migrant worker sites, and at cooling and warming centers.
The program teaches empathy to nursing students and helps them achieve their clinical hours on their path to graduation.
They also provide much-needed supplies to clients, including hygiene products, hand sanitizer, face masks, condoms, ointments, bandages, clothing, shoes, socks, lotion, backpacks and sunscreen, among other items.
“We are proud to support the Nursing Street Medicine Program with grant funds,” said Chris Christensen, Desert Healthcare District & Foundation CEO. “They’re doing important work that aligns with our values. In addition to providing access to care to vulnerable communities, they are contributing to the healthcare workforce by equipping local students with skills they will have throughout their careers.”
The Nursing Street Medicine team provides a valuable service at no cost to those who are most economically in need of basic necessities. The program also increases the number of registered nurses in the valley who have experience engaging vulnerable populations. As collaborative partners in the community, the Department of Nursing at PDC is creating and contributing to an educated and empathic healthcare workforce.
Visit the CSUSB Nursing Street Medicine webpage for more information about the program.
