Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless ups roving outreach

The city’s unhoused population — particularly near Downtown — often get health care and other services at the main campus of Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless (AHCH). But in recent years, the nonprofit’s street outreach has expanded and reached scores more.

A partnership between AHCH and Molina Healthcare produced a new report on the value of making contact through street outreach — or integrated health outreach — as the population of those experiencing homelessness grows and health care facilities struggle with tight capacity and staffing. Officials also say having solid data on the effectiveness of street outreach is crucial to make the case for long term and sustainable funding. 

“People think of us as a free clinic with a bunch of volunteer doctors, but we do a ton of outreach,” Rachel Biggs, AHCH chief strategy officer, said. “Everything we do at our main campus, we take out on the street.”

AHCH operates two mobile units that provide medical and dental care, medication-assisted treatment, behavioral health therapy, psychiatry, syringe services — and a range of social services like case management, care coordination, public benefits enrollment and housing assistance.

The units drive to encampments, open space areas, shelters, meal sites and affordable housing sites. They come staffed with physicians, dentists, hygienists, nurses, therapists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, medical and dental assistants, community health workers, harm reduction specialists and housing navigators.

In addition, the mobile harm reduction unit regularly visits the International District Library on Friday nights, drawing 100 to 200 people, Biggs said. The team provides wound care, syringe exchange, Narcan distribution, and rapid testing for HIV and hepatitis C.

“We work with people that are sex workers or they use drugs or just need our services on the street,” Biggs said. “There’s a need everywhere. What you see on the street is really only the tip of the iceberg.” 

AHCH Executive Director Jenny Metzler said the data gained through teaming up with  Molina backed up much of what she’s known for years.

“It’s what drew me here decades ago, because it really worked in Latin America. For many years, that’s what we did,” Metzler, who previously worked in maternal-child health programs in the Dominican Republic, said. “We didn’t sit in an office and wait for people to find us. It’s what draws a lot of our staff — our outreach and our advocacy — because we’re not complacent.” 

However, Metzler said there are situations when it’s more ideal for a client to be seen at the main campus. Some simply prefer a clinic setting instead of a mobile one, she said, although both provide air conditioning during the hot summer months. In addition, there are other services at the main campus that aren’t available in the mobile units, like access to phones, computers, showers, a water bottle refill station and bathrooms.

“But there are folks that we see on the street that we will only ever see on the street — and that’s the best way for them to receive care — the best care plan for them,” Metzler said. “So we’ll continue to do that, and work really hard to find people and follow up with them, to build that relationship and provide those services.”