Compassionate Healthcare

Compassionate Healthcare provides access to health services to those who cannot afford it otherwise. Health services are provided through partnerships with local medical facilities, providing clinical care while training students preparing to enter healthcare professions. The program is fully licensed and nurse-practitioner managed, and includes primary care, urgent care, chronic disease management, and health promotion and education. The program also offers behavioral health services, recovery support for those stopping the use of drugs and alcohol, and HIV testing and counseling.

The program was initially funded almost entirely with grants and donations from corporations and individuals. In 2004, GLIDE Health Services began receiving federal support after obtaining Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) status.

Compassionate Healthcare seeks to provide affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare to the homeless and poor, offering a full range of traditional health care services, as well as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mental health, substance abuse, and non-Western medicine services.

There are 13,000 visits to GLIDE Health Services each year, and 3,000 individuals are treated in the health services clinic. In 2010, 640 HIV Counseling & Testing Sessions were provided, and 18,000 condoms were distributed. Staff and volunteers also conducted 418 hours of street outreach.