CARES for the Unhoused

CARES at the Navigation Center 

The CARES Clinic at the Navigation Center is a student-run free clinic that provides healthcare in-person and via telehealth to individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Since opening in 2018, CARES Clinic at the Navigation Center has served hundreds of patients, providing everything from routine health maintenance to specialty referrals.

The clinic is housed within The Navigation Center, an organization dedicated to helping individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability navigate the complex ecosystem of organizations they need to rebuild a sustainable independent life for themselves and their families. CARES provides the Navigation Center with an in-house medical center, and the two organizations work synergistically to meet the needs of our shared clients and patients.

Street Medicine

House Calls to the Homeless is Charleston’s inaugural street medicine initiative. MUSC students, residents, and attending physicians team up with community partners to provide medical care and social services at street-based locations and homeless camps which have been previously identified as high traffic for unsheltered individuals.

Each month, House Calls to the Homeless has approximately 100 impromptu "appointments" which include wellness checks, wound care, vaccinations, treatment of acute conditions, and chronic disease management. The care provided through House Calls to the Homeless is longitudinal; our team follows some of the same individuals week after week in order to provide high-quality and continuous care to those who may not be able to access it otherwise.

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