Student-run clinic provides healthcare for homeless

In May of 2013, a group of students from Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona began developing Arizona’s first student-led clinic for Phoenix’s homeless population.

The Student Health Outreach for Wellness (S.H.O.W.) initiative provides health services for the underserved while offering a hands-on interprofessional environment for undergraduate and graduate students alike.

S.H.O.W. teamed up with student workers and various venders in September to host its Health Fair for the Homeless – an event in preparation for the clinic’s first permanent location opening.

ASU faculty advisor and associate professor in the School of Social Work Robin Bonifas says student volunteers come from a wide range of majors and specializations across the three universities.

“S.H.O.W. is open for any student to volunteer who wants to be part of helping a vulnerable population,” Bonifas says.

The clinic will operate inside downtown Phoenix’s Health Care for the Homeless clinic located on the Human Services Campus on 12th Avenue. More than 1,100 people visit or receive services from the campus each day. The S.H.O.W. clinic aims to reduce the number of non-emergency hospital visits and 911 calls on-campus by opening its doors for weekend hours.

S.H.O.W. projects the average cost per patient to be $443, $310 of which is comprised of volunteer work from students, physicians, nurses and other health care providers.

For the past year, faculty and student involvement has driven the clinic’s success. ASU social work doctoral student John Gallagher has been involved with the clinic’s Research and Quality Assurance Committee since 2013.

"The behind-the-scenes work has drawn on students from all three universities,” says Gallagher.

Social work student Sandy Sutton says S.H.O.W. offers the rare opportunity for interdisciplinary work as an undergraduate. Sutton began her involvement with S.H.O.W. during her junior year at The School of Social Work, an academic unit of the College of Public Programs.

“I think it’s seeing your profession in use… seeing where your profession will take you,” says Sutton.

Also on the team is Andy Pastore, an undergraduate student in social work, who has devoted countless hours to S.H.O.W.

For more information or to support the project’s crowdfunding campaign, visit www.showaz.org

Social Work