Funding Secured for New Outreach Van to Support Unhoused Community

Monday, March 17, 2025

" Having a partner who can respond to certain calls is a valuable resource for our most vulnerable community members. "

To better support the needs of unhoused residents, the City and Bay Cove Human Services unveiled a new supplemental services outreach van in November. This enhanced street outreach van is equipped to provide medical examinations, administer minor procedures, and facilitate meetings between healthcare professionals and people experiencing homelessness. The van will also support continuity of care for this vulnerable population by offering evaluation and treatment by trusted providers who also work in shelter-based clinics and at the Cambridge Health Alliance’s Emergency Department.

Funding for the outreach van was secured through the leadership of staff in the Department of Human Service Programs’ (DHSP) Planning and Development division, which applies for and administers grant funding to City and community programs that promote community health. DHSP staff worked closely with the City Manager’s Substance Use Advisory Committee to secure Opioid Settlement funds to enhance and expand street medicine services for the unhoused community, a program that started in 2020 utilizing federal COVID-relief grant funds. After receiving the funding for the van, DHSP staff collaborated with the Department of Public Works to purchase and outfit the van with amenities that will support medical care.

DHSP’s Planning and Development division oversees the Cambridge Continuum of Care, a group of organizations and individuals working to address homelessness through a coordinated, community-based process.

A new street outreach van was introduced in November 2024.

Funding Secured for New Outreach Van to Support Unhoused Community

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