We are excited to announce that in partnership with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Sonoran University of Health Sciences and Sage Foundation for Health have opened a new community clinic at SVdP’s Washington and 28th Street shelter in Phoenix. The project is made possible by a grant awarded by Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.
The 200-person shelter provides holistic support to men and women who strive to overcome homelessness and move forward in their lives. Shelter guests live in the program full-time until they can move into a sustainable and suitable environment. The project aims to increase the shelter residents’ access to basic healthcare, provide them with quality services and teach them preventive practices. Students and faculty physicians from Sonoran University’s College of Naturopathic Medicine will provide shelter residents with:
During the project’s span, our clinic will operate for 20 hours per week, amounting to over 1,000 hours of services and over 2,000 patient visits.
“This is the start of an exciting long-term partnership between our university and the incredible teams at St. Vincent de Paul,” said Paul Mittman, President & CEO of Sonoran University. “We’re already exploring the different ways we can reach SVdP’s other shelters and transitional housing programs; we’re eager to begin helping Arizona’s most vulnerable populations.”
“One of SVdP Washington Street shelter’s points of pride is the wraparound services it provides its residents,” said Jennifer Morgan, who serves as SVdP’s Interim Housing Community Training and Special Projects Manager. “This new clinic located right on site furthers access and our mission to help meet all our residents’ needs. It will be a game-changer for a population that often has struggled to access clinic care, putting their health at risk. Now, we can look forward to better health outcomes.”
The grant awarded by Piper Trust will support start-up costs to launch the clinic and community donations through Sage Foundation for Health will keep the clinic running smoothly.
In his speech at the ribbon cutting event, Sonoran University’s Associate Dean of Clinical Education, Dr. Joseph Vazquez said, “This is a project that is true to my heart and true to the reason why I joined Sonoran University. It is an embodiment of what we stand for and what we will continue to do moving forward.”
For the official press release, please click here.