Physician Assistant and Occupational Therapy Students Provide Free Medical Services to Community During Annual Project Homeless Connect
Students from the School of Physician Assistant Studies and the School of Occupational Therapy provided free medical services to the Las Vegas Valley’s homeless population during Project Homeless Connect, an annual event offering numerous services on Nov. 22.
Put on by the Nevada Homeless Alliance and hosted by the Silver Nugget in North Las Vegas, Touro University Nevada served as the medical partner of the event. According to Nevada Homeless Alliance, nearly 1,000 residents attended the event.
Faculty and students from Touro’s Physician Assistant program provided general wellness exams and screenings, administered COVID-19 and flu vaccines, and provided blood pressure checks and mammograms during Project Homeless Connect.
“Each year, our students volunteer at Project Homeless Connect because they want to provide healthcare to our community members who otherwise wouldn’t have access, especially right before Thanksgiving,” said Dr. Rebecca Edgeworth, Assistant Professor in the School of Physician Assistant Studies who helped coordinate medical and dental services for Project Homeless Connect with several organizations around Southern Nevada.
Alissa Nakamura, a student in the PA Class of 2023, echoed Dr. Edgeworth’s sentiment.
“I wanted to volunteer at Project Homeless Connect so I could help make a difference in our community,” she said.
Second-year students from the School of Occupational Therapy, under the guidance of Associate Professor Dr. John Rider, were on hand to provide balance screenings, and discuss mental health, hygiene habits, and more.
“We were able to assess a few clients and find out what kind of resources they need, and we’ve talked about difference stretches they can do,” said OTD student Chelsea Accardo. “It’s been great to help them out today.”
In addition to free medical services, Project Homeless Connect offered qualifying residents with access to housing and food assistance, job training programs, and more.
More than a dozen community agencies assisted with the event, including Anthem, Clark County Social Service, Salvation Army, CCSD Title I HOPE, City of North Las Vegas, Nevada 211, Help of Southern Nevada, U.S. VETS, Nevada Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation, and the Southern Nevada Health District.
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