Suitcase Clinic
Encyclopedia
The Suitcase Clinic is a humanitarian student organization that has offered free
services
and supplies to the uninsured, homeless and low-income communities of the San Francisco Bay Area
since 1989.
-University of California, San Francisco
Joint Medical Program
, the Suitcase Clinic was designed to provide specialized services to a population which was receiving inadequate health care. Originally a mobile clinic
traveling by van
directly to the clients, the present organization now operates out of three drop-in centers, and is structured around the principles of public health
, social welfare, community activism
and empathy
. The organization embodies a holistic view of health, considering physical, mental, emotional and social
well-being as equally necessary.
. Medical students operate out of the five-year UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program, and optometry
students hail from the UC Berkeley School of Optometry at Minor Hall. Professionals from within both the city of Berkeley, CA and the university cooperate with these students in order to offer medical, chiropractic, legal, and social assistance to a clientele that is 70% homeless.
The fundamental agents of the Suitcase Clinic are the undergraduate caseworker
s, who serve as indispensable advocates for the clientele. They are responsible for recording the social history of their client, and for ensuring that their client has received the services desired. Additional roles include establishing and maintaining positive relationships, making referrals to other agencies, providing follow-ups, fostering a non-judgmental social environment, and taking an active interest in the welfare of the client and community. Services currently offered by the three drop-in centers include health care
, medication
, physical examinations, hygienic supplies, vision screening, legal counsel, meals, feet washing, chiropractic
, hairdressing and massage therapy.
, nail clippers, emery boards, antifungal
creams and sprays, and clean socks. Dental services consist of teeth cleanings, and chiropractic services provide adjustments given by professionals. Haircutting is performed by students, who also dispense general health education and referrals for housing and insurance. Legal counsel, generally pertaining to overdue warrants, landlord-tenant disputes, and applying for financial assistance, is provided by volunteers from the East Bay Community Law Center. Medical services offer basic care and education, on-site treatment, health consultations, referrals, and free influenza vaccinations during the flu season. Medication and supplies can be issued at the discretion of the on-site physician
if necessary. Optometry services perform preliminary eye examinations for clients, and if glasses are necessary, they can be provided to the client at no cost.
, manicure
, and children's services, and cares for roughly thirty clients per night on average.
, regularly held dinners, and arts and crafts
. The city of Berkeley is a frequent destination for disenfranchised and neglected youth, due to the city's long history of social activism and inclusiveness. Despite this image, there are few actual resources available within the city to serve the specific needs of hard-to-reach street-identified youth, due in part to a reluctance amongst this population to deal with the bureaucratic intake and formal processing methods of traditional institutions. The city of Berkeley estimates that youth between the ages of thirteen and twenty-three account for 100-200 of the homeless population within the city, and youth living on the street are extremely vulnerable to suicide
, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, traumatic injury, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis
, hepatitis B, hepatitis C
, teenage pregnancy
, asthma
and infestations
.
, and personal accounts of homelessness.
Gratis
Gratis is the process of providing goods or services without compensation. It is often referred to in English as "free of charge" or "complimentary"...
services
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
and supplies to the uninsured, homeless and low-income communities of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
since 1989.
Overview
Founded in the summer of 1989 by a group of first year students of the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
-University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
Joint Medical Program
UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program
The UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program is a joint degree program in the University of California system, between the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and the UCSF School of Medicine...
, the Suitcase Clinic was designed to provide specialized services to a population which was receiving inadequate health care. Originally a mobile clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
traveling by van
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
directly to the clients, the present organization now operates out of three drop-in centers, and is structured around the principles of public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
, social welfare, community activism
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
and empathy
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
. The organization embodies a holistic view of health, considering physical, mental, emotional and social
Social
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
well-being as equally necessary.
Agenda
Staffed on an entirely volunteer basis by a variety of students and professionals from throughout the Bay Area, the organization is administered by undergraduates, with policy decided upon through consensus via the central Planning Committee legislative organ. Participating undergraduates are either currently enrolled in, or have already completed, a training and certification course offered by the Health and Medical Sciences Program at the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. Medical students operate out of the five-year UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program, and optometry
Optometry
Optometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
students hail from the UC Berkeley School of Optometry at Minor Hall. Professionals from within both the city of Berkeley, CA and the university cooperate with these students in order to offer medical, chiropractic, legal, and social assistance to a clientele that is 70% homeless.
The fundamental agents of the Suitcase Clinic are the undergraduate caseworker
Caseworker
In social work, a caseworker is a type of social worker who is employed by a government agency, non-profit organization, or other group to take on the cases of individuals and provide them with advocacy, information or other services....
s, who serve as indispensable advocates for the clientele. They are responsible for recording the social history of their client, and for ensuring that their client has received the services desired. Additional roles include establishing and maintaining positive relationships, making referrals to other agencies, providing follow-ups, fostering a non-judgmental social environment, and taking an active interest in the welfare of the client and community. Services currently offered by the three drop-in centers include health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, medication
Medication
A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...
, physical examinations, hygienic supplies, vision screening, legal counsel, meals, feet washing, chiropractic
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
, hairdressing and massage therapy.
Subdivisions
The Suitcase Clinic is an umbrella organization comprising five unique subdivisions:General Clinic
The General Clinic is the oldest of the Suitcase Clinic's three drop-in centers, and receives up to forty clients per night on average. Clients often walk for hours daily and have limited access to showering facilities. Here, they can receive feet washing, podiatryPodiatry
Podiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower leg. The term podiatry came into use first in the early 20th century United States, where it now denotes a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine , a specialist who is qualified by their...
, nail clippers, emery boards, antifungal
Antifungal
* Antifungal medication, a medication used to treat fungal infection s such as athlete's foot , ringworm, candidiasis, etc.* Antifungal protein, a protein family* an adjective referring to a fungicide compound...
creams and sprays, and clean socks. Dental services consist of teeth cleanings, and chiropractic services provide adjustments given by professionals. Haircutting is performed by students, who also dispense general health education and referrals for housing and insurance. Legal counsel, generally pertaining to overdue warrants, landlord-tenant disputes, and applying for financial assistance, is provided by volunteers from the East Bay Community Law Center. Medical services offer basic care and education, on-site treatment, health consultations, referrals, and free influenza vaccinations during the flu season. Medication and supplies can be issued at the discretion of the on-site physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
if necessary. Optometry services perform preliminary eye examinations for clients, and if glasses are necessary, they can be provided to the client at no cost.
Women's Clinic
The Women's Clinic opened during the fall of 1996 with the intent of further reaching out to the low-income, homeless, neglected, and abused women and children who had previously formed a minority at the General Clinic. This branch offers unique resources such as homeopathyHomeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine in which practitioners claim to treat patients using highly diluted preparations that are believed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms that are similar to those exhibited by the patient...
, manicure
Manicure
A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands performed at home or in a nail salon. A manicure treatment is not only a treatment for the natural nails but also for the hands. A manicure consists of filing, shaping of the free edge, treatments, massage of the hand and the...
, and children's services, and cares for roughly thirty clients per night on average.
Youth Clinic
The Youth Clinic is the most recently established drop-in center, having opened in September 2000. It is tailored specifically towards the Bay Area's homeless and street-identified youth, and popular resources include acupunctureAcupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
, regularly held dinners, and arts and crafts
Arts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
. The city of Berkeley is a frequent destination for disenfranchised and neglected youth, due to the city's long history of social activism and inclusiveness. Despite this image, there are few actual resources available within the city to serve the specific needs of hard-to-reach street-identified youth, due in part to a reluctance amongst this population to deal with the bureaucratic intake and formal processing methods of traditional institutions. The city of Berkeley estimates that youth between the ages of thirteen and twenty-three account for 100-200 of the homeless population within the city, and youth living on the street are extremely vulnerable to suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, traumatic injury, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, hepatitis B, hepatitis C
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
, teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
, asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
and infestations
Ectoparasitic infestation
An ectoparasitic infestation is a parasitic disease caused by organisms that live primarily on the surface of the host.Examples:* Scabies* Crab louse * Pediculosis * Lernaeocera branchialis...
.
SHARE
SHARE, an acronym for "Searching How to Achieve Respect and Empowerment", was officially launched in May 1996. It is a discussion and advocacy group with the goal of strengthening the solidarity of the Suitcase Clinic's diverse community. Led by trained student facilitators, SHARE provides a uniquely open forum, allowing clientele to discuss current affairs and exchange opinions with student volunteers through presentations, movies, community participation and political action.Health and Medical Science 98/198
Health and Medical Science 98/198 is a course offered at the university which provides the training requisite for the undergraduate students who oversee the Suitcase Clinic. Students interested in public health, in social welfare, in cultivating empathy and compassion, and in working with the homeless or other underserved populations are ideal for this course. The first six weeks cover caseworker training, and the remainder of the semester is spent addressing specific topics such as drug and alcohol abuse, mental healthMental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
, and personal accounts of homelessness.
External links
Media coverage
- University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
Events Calendar, "Suitcase Clinic Benefit Concert", April 26, 2009 - University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
News, "Activism, service, and engagement recognized at first annual Chancellor's Public Service Awards ceremony", June 6, 2007 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "City Spotlights Resources for Homeless Youth", May 24, 2007 - University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
News, "Web marketplace to draw support for student projects", December 13, 2006 - Street Spirit, "Suitcase Clinic and the SHARE Support Group", November 2006
- University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
Media Release, "Suitcase Clinic student volunteers are changing the world, one bare footstep at a time", 8 March 2006 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "Offering More Than Spare Change, City Extends Its Help", 9 December 2005 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "People Without a Home Find a Place", 7 December 2005 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "News In Brief: Adeyemo's Event", 5 March 2005 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "Homeless Locker Program Set to Move", 19 November 2004 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "Students, Homeless Hold Sproul Sleepover", 17 November 2003 - Indybay, "The Suitcase Clinic - A Friend of the Homeless", 17 July 2003
- The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "Night on the Town", 28 April 2003 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "Mayor Bates Calls Stint On Streets 'Overwhelming'", 25 April 2003 - The Daily CalifornianThe Daily CalifornianThe Daily Californian is an independent, student-run newspaper that serves the University of California, Berkeley campus and its surrounding community. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and twice a week during the summer...
, "Programs Receive Praise for Work To Improve Communal Well-Being", 27 September 2001 - The San Francisco Chronicle, "Teens trust clinic", 7 August 2001
- Berkeley Daily PlanetBerkeley Daily PlanetThe Berkeley Daily Planet was a free weekly newspaper published in Berkeley, California.The paper was politically progressive, and offered endorsements of progressive and liberal to left leaning candidates....
, "New haven for homeless youth", 1 August 2001 - Berkeley Daily PlanetBerkeley Daily PlanetThe Berkeley Daily Planet was a free weekly newspaper published in Berkeley, California.The paper was politically progressive, and offered endorsements of progressive and liberal to left leaning candidates....
, "Volunteers provide legal help for city’s homeless", 23 October 2001 - Cal in the Community, "Suitcase Clinic Serves Local Homeless"