Kaneohe Medical Clinic To Serve Homeless A new three-year pilot clinic in Kaneohe offers basic medical care to unsheltered individuals. By Eleni Gill / August 19, 2019
The Hawaii Homeless Healthcare Hui, or H4, has opened a second facility to provide basic medical care to unsheltered individuals on the Windward side of Oahu. Backed by funding from the state, county, nonprofit and private sectors, the Kaneohe Joint Outreach Center facility will offer services three days a week as part of a three-year pilot program. Patients may seek medication refills, minor procedures such as stitches, TB tests, vaccinations and other treatment for ailments like asthma, the flu or fevers on a walk-in basis.
An exam room at the Kaneohe Joint Outreach Center medical clinic, where homeless people can seek basic treatment and other resources. Travis K. Okimoto
Clinic staff will also connect patients to treatment avenues for mental health care and treatment for substance addiction. The Kaneohe JOC came to fruition via a partnership between H4, The Institute for Human Services, Hawaii Executive Conference, and the state and county governments. More than a dozen private and nonprofit philanthropic donors contributed. According to the latest Point in Time count, or the annual snapshot of people experiencing homelessness across the state, there were 225 unsheltered individuals living in the region
that spans from Kaneohe to Waimanalo, and more than 100 unsheltered individuals living along the upper Windward coast. The clinic is located in a state building at Kaneohe Civic Center Neighborhood Park on Waikalua Road, adjacent to the local police station and the Kaneohe Public Library. H4 has operated its Chinatown Joint Outreach Center in Chinatown for more than a year. The nonprofit was founded by Lt. Gov. Josh Green and Scott Miscovich, both of whom are doctors.
About the Author •
Eleni Gill Eleni Gill, who covers public health issues, is a corps member with Report for America , a national nonprofit organization that places journalists in local newsrooms. Her health care coverage is also supported by Kaiser Permanente , the Atherton Family Foundation , the George Mason Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation , and Papa Ola Lokahi . You can reach her by email at egill@civilbeat.org or follow her on Twitter at @lorineleni. Use the RSS feed to subscribe to Eleni Gill's posts today