Munson Healthcare has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand its program for delivering care to unhoused individuals.

One of just 24 grants awarded nationwide, the funds will be used to launch the "Rural Street Medicine Residency Expansion Project to train the next generation of primary care physicians in delivering care to individuals experiencing homelessness," according to a Munson release. "This project will help expand research, establish an advisory board (to include community members experiencing homelessness), and support Munson, Traverse Health Clinic and Goodwill in their Street Medicine partnership serving Benzonia, Cadillac, Rapid City, and Traverse City."

The new curriculum within Munson’s Family Residency Program through Michigan State University will "integrate core competencies to equip physicians with the skills necessary to practice in complex care environments," according to the release. That includes primary care, behavioral health with instruction in psychiatric medication stabilization, addiction medicine including MOUD (Medications for Opioid Use Disorder) initiation and induction, and medical-legal advocacy (legal aid or medical-legal partnerships).

Residents will be required to dedicate 5-8 hours per month providing clinical care through mobile medical units (MMUs), shelter-based clinics, and encampment outreach. The Street Medicine partnership between Munson Healthcare, Traverse Health Clinic, and Goodwill Industries began in 2020. "The program has seen 1,000 visits from 400 unique patients in Traverse City alone this year," according to the release.