ACS and UNMH Mobile Medicine Help Legally Blind Man Get Access to Help and Housing
ALBUQUERQUE – Earlier this month, Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS), The University of New Mexico Health Mobile Medicine Team, and the UNM Hospital Emergency Department worked together to get an unhoused, legally blind Albuquerque man the help he desperately needed.
The man has been well known by community providers for the last 10 years, and he came to a point where he did not have the ability to manage his daily needs at a shelter. ACS staff recently saw the man at one of its Connect to Care events at The Rock at Noonday.
“I noticed him and was deeply concerned about his living situation and appearance,” said ACS Homeless Liaison, Jodie Jepson. “He let me know that he had not eaten in days and that his debit card was stolen.”
ACS was able secure and transport him to a motel room for the evening. A follow up visit the next day was conducted by ACS and the UNM Mobile Medicine team where it was evident that the man was no longer able to care for himself.
Lindsay Fox, a Physician Assistant and Medical Director of the UNM Mobile Medicine Team reached out and briefed the medical and social work teams at the UNM Hospital Emergency Department on his status and suggested steps to move forward and get the man the support he needed. A plan was established to have him evaluated. An ED Social Work Case Manager arranged transition to a long-term care facility where his needs would be met.
Two members of ACS’s Street Outreach Team transported the man to UNM Hospital and waited with him to be triaged and be with him to ensure that all medical and social work staff were aware of the plan set for him. The ACS Outreach Navigator team plans to meet with the man daily to ensure he continues to feel fully supported through this transition.
Partnerships like the one between ACS and the UNM Health System have led to better outcomes for individuals in our community who need support to access resources. By working together, we are able to maximize impact and help individuals overcome obstacles to get the right help.