Healthcare for the Homeless

Healthcare for the Homeless

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At Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, we recognize the unique healthcare needs of homeless individuals and are committed to providing compassionate care that promotes their overall well-being and helps restore stability in their lives.

Care provider taking blood pressure of patient

Our Street Medicine Program

Street medicine ensures health equity through access to quality medical care for Greater New Haven’s unreached houseless population. 


Through direct and regular medical outreach, our doctors, APRNs, and physician assistants provide direct medical care in the streets, shelters, encampments, soup kitchens, and drop-in centers. The Street Medicine team bridges the gaps and barriers the houseless experience in receiving medical care through traditional means. The team’s success is driven by care over a continuum that starts by building relationships and offering companionship and respect. In doing so, we meet the patient where they are to address their unique psychosocial and health care needs.


Examples of the care provided in street medicine include but are not limited to treatment for urgent and primary care needs, harm reduction counseling and medication assisted treatment for addiction, PREP initiation, and HIV and Hep C treatment. 


Additionally, our street medicine team collaborates internally with our clinical sites and externally with other medical, behavioral health, addiction, and social service programs, meeting our patients where they are.

Team Structure

Our team goes out in the community typically with a core team of three, a medical case manager, a medical assistant or a nurse, and an advanced practice prescriber or MD. Our team also frequently includes volunteers, many with lived experience, many with medical experience. Our focus is the medical needs of our patients, and our mantra is to not compete with social service agencies but collaborate and support them as partners. Though our team does not do housing, legal services, support in food or shelter, we collaborate with the organizations that do and advocate for our patients through communication with our partners. 

For People in Need of Housing 

For those in need of housing and shelter we are not the organization to contact; the only pathway is through dialing 211 and getting connected with a case manager through there. The city has sites set up for help getting connected with the 211 system. They are referred to as hubs.


Once you are assigned a housing case manager by the 211 system, our team can support you in completing applicable medical documentation if you have engaged with us for your medical care.

Outreach team employees taking items out of a car

What Makes the Street Medicine Team Different?

Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center stands out for several reasons: 


  1. Meeting the patient on the street with the care team, working on the medical needs they prioritize. 
  2. Provide suboxone induction on the street as the patients become ready either conventional or micro-dosing.
  3. Provide immediate transport to partnering detox when patient is ready to go, and bed is available.
  4. Provide medical care to all homeless regardless of insurance or immigration status. 
  5. Our collaboration with our internal and community partners, working together to meet the patients’ needs.
  6. Our Volunteer Medical Corps of New Haven, started in 2015 to leverage: retired medical providers, people with lived experience, and others interested in helping our team provide medical care of those experiencing homelessness in the street. For those interested please reach out through our Facebook groupVolunteer Medical Corps of New Haven, and orcall (203) 503-3495  for more information. 
  7. Neighborhood pharmacy collaboration
  8. Homeless Memorial Service: every year on or around December 21 we collaborate with The Trinity Church on the Green to remember those living on the street who have passed throughout the year.
  9. Overdose Awareness Day
  10. Holy Foot Day

In addition to the support of our own Cornell Scott Pharmacy, we are collaborating with neighborhood pharmacies to provide access to OTC medications medical supplies and other necessities of daily living to support the medical and hygiene needs of our patients. 


Current partners include:

True Care Pharmacy

Community Health Pharmacy

Hancock Pharmacy in Fair Haven

New Haven Pharmacy

Milford Pharmacy

Berneys Pharmacy

Frequently Asked Questions

We are part of your community and are ready to help you! See below some of the frequently asked questions we get. If you can not find the answer to you question here, please call us at 203-503-3000.

  • Who can visit us?

    Anyone and everyone. No matter who you are, you can seek help for your healthcare needs with us.

  • How do I make an appointment?

  • Is Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center a free clinic?

    No, we are not a free clinic. We provide healthcare services for a fee. However, because we are a Federally Qualified Health Center, we are able to offer reduced rates to people without insurance as long as they qualify based on income and family size.

  • How much do your services cost?

    Costs will vary based on your specific situation. We accept all insurance including Medicare, Medicaid (Title 19), HUSKY, Charter Oak, and most commercial insurance plans. For anyone without health insurance, we offer services on a sliding-fee scale, which means you pay only what you can. We also can provide assistance with access to State support and services.

  • How can I give feedback about my experience here?

    You may fill out a comment card located in the reception area or right on this website each service can be rated.

  • How can I obtain my medical records?

    Release of information requests are processed by Ramona Fain and Francheska Cantey. Francheska handles all patients that falls between A-M and Ramona N-Z. Ramona can be reached at 203-503-3140 and Francheska at 203-503-3236.

  • How can I know if the center is delayed or closed due to severe weather?

    Our 24/7 facilities, SCRC and Grant Street Partnership, will remain open during severe weather. To find out if there are delays or closings at any of our other sites go to:


    Channel 3: WFSB Early Warning Network - www.wfsb.com


    Call: 203-503-3196


     Visit our site at: www.cornellscott.org

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