Community Health Centers of the Central Coast is a network of 26 licensed primary medical and dental care clinics that provide services to the homeless throughout San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County. Services for the homeless are provided at all clinics and through the use of four mobile medical/dental vans. CHC networks with many community agencies that serve the homeless to fill gaps in the continuum of care. This involves active participation in the Homeless Services Coordinating Committee, Adult Services Policy Council, SLO Hepatitis C Coalition, AIDS Support Network and SL County HIV Prevention, Advocacy, and Care Consortium, SLO County Medical Society, and others.

Services

Community Health Centers of the Central Coast’s HCH Program provides urgent health care services, including health screening and assessment, dental screening, health education, on-site medical treatment and/or referral, and transportation to medical treatment. The program also provides mental health counseling and substance abuse counseling referrals. Program staff provides case management so individuals can receive organized and improved access to medical, dental, mental health and substance abuse treatment services, entitlement benefits, and social service benefits. Basic Needs, Behavioral/Mental Health Care Services, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Cancer Screening, Case Management/Social Services, Contraceptives (issued w/counseling), Dental/oral Care, Diabetes Testing/Care, Documenting Disability Services, Domestic Violence services, Electronic Medical Records, Flu Vaccinations, Health/Nutritional Education, HIV/AIDS screening/education, Immunizations, Interpretation services, Labs, Medications Prescribing, Medication Dispensing, Mental Health Counseling, Mobile Medical Services, Needle Exchange, OB/GYN, Outreach, Pain Clinic, Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Physical Exams, Primary Health Care, Referrals for Specialty Care, Shelter outreach, Specialty Care, STD Testing, Street Outreach, TB screening/education, Tobacco cessation, Transportation Services, Urgent Care, Well Child Check-ups, X-rays.

Linkages

Linkages include AIDS Support Network, SLO County Public Health AIDS Program, Hepatitis C Coalition, SLO County Mental Health Services, SLO County Infectious Disease Program, Planned Parenthood, SLO County Public Health Tobacco Control, EOC Health Services, SLO County Public Health Lab, Housing Authority of the City of San Obispo, SLO County Health Commission, SLO County Drug and Alcohol Services, Prado Day Care Center, EOC Homeless Shelter, SLO County HIV Prevention and Care Consortium, Adult Services Policy Council, Children’s Services Network, SLO County Medical Society, Central Coast Dental Society, local school districts, and Healthy Starts and Head Starts.

Statistics

Estimated homeless population: 8000

Patients served: 4206