The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded a $2.5 million grant supporting a five-year project to enhance street medicine training to medical students enrolled in Munson Healthcare’s (MHC) Family Medicine Residency Program.
One of only 24 such grants awarded nationwide, the funds will be used to launch the Rural Street Medicine Residency Expansion Project to train the next generation of primary care physicians in delivering care to individuals experiencing homelessness. This project will help expand research, establish an advisory board (to include community members experiencing homelessness), and support Munson, Traverse Health Clinic and Goodwill in their Street Medicine partnership serving Benzonia, Cadillac, Rapid City, and Traverse City.
“These are among the most vulnerable people in our region, and this grant is going to help ensure they have access to care, where they are,” said Munson Healthcare’s David Klee, MD, Community Assistant Dean for the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Traverse City Campus. “Over the next five years we will be implementing a comprehensive strategy to expand, enhance, and formalize a Rural Street Medicine Residency.”
This new curriculum within Munson’s Family Residency Program through Michigan State University will integrate core competencies to equip physicians with the skills necessary to practice in complex care environments, including:
- Primary care.
- Behavioral health with instruction in psychiatric medication stabilization.
- Addiction medicine including MOUD (Medications for Opioid Use Disorder) initiation and induction.
- Medical-legal advocacy (legal aid or medical-legal partnerships).
Additionally, residents will be required to dedicate 5-8 hours per month providing clinical care through mobile medical units (MMUs), shelter-based clinics, and encampment outreach.
“As this new curriculum takes root, we plan to build upon it with a Rural-Urban exchange program, opportunities for mentorship, and a ‘Grow Your Own’ street medicine development model,” added Klee.
The Street Medicine partnership between Munson Healthcare, Traverse Health Clinic, and Goodwill Industries began in 2020.The initiative received the 2024 American Hospital Association (AHA) Dick Davidson NOVA Award for hospital-led collaborative efforts to improve community health. The program has seen 1,000 visits from 400 unique patients in Traverse City alone this year.
To learn more about the Street Medicine Program, visit www.munsonhealthcare.org/services/community-health/street-medicine.