Individuals who seek out shelter services arrive at the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter needing much more than housing. Primary among their concerns is healthcare.

In response to that need, Share Our Selves (SOS), a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center that provides high quality, comprehensive medical and safety net services to the Orange County community, has agreed to bring their fully functional mobile medical unit on site two times a month beginning in October.

For many of the Bridge Shelter clients, their survival is a daily task, prioritization of health can slip away. As clients settle in and begin to plan the next step for housing stability, the need to get a physical checkup becomes apparent.

Once again, the amazing collaboration of community resources and partners has come together to develop an opportunity for shelter guests to receive medical attention that may have been needed and missing for long periods of time.

The SOS services will provide a critical opportunity for shelter guests to receive convenient access to health care. Along with comprehensive examinations and medical history, clients will have the opportunity to be properly enrolled in a health care provider network that fits the need for the client and provides the best linkage to individualized care.

Housing an individual requires a whole person approach. Having SOS on site fulfills a key role of the client housing plan and overall health, which is a factor that contributes greatly to long term and permanent housing.

The City is grateful and values this new partnership with SOS and look forward to continuing this partnership at the permanent shelter location.

This partnership will provide an overall improvement of healthcare outcomes for Bridge Shelter clients.

For more information please visit our webpage here.