Health street services for the unhoused to expand in four new cities in Orange County

Earlier this week, CalOptima Health announced the expansion of its Street Medicine program to four new Orange County cities to help the unhoused with urgent and primary care services.

The program currently operates in Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Anaheim and Santa Ana, but in 2027, services are to expand to Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Seal Beach and Westminster. 

The Street Medicine program uses interdisciplinary teams who canvas communities to reach members living in parks, under freeways and in other unsheltered spaces. Services include health care, behavioral health, substance use treatment and case management, along with expanded whole-person care resources.

“Homelessness does not stop at city boundaries, and neither should our response,” said Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, Chair of the CalOptima Health Board of Directors and Supervisor of Orange County’s Second District. “Our growing Street Medicine network is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we work together across jurisdictions and systems. By bringing health care, behavioral health, social services and housing resources directly to people where they are, we are breaking down barriers to care and creating a more coordinated path toward stability for our most vulnerable residents.”

According to Orange County’s 2026 Point in Time Count of the unhoused population, there are about 500 unsheltered individuals living in the four-city area. The Street Medicine Program is aware that healthcare and housing stability are interconnected and its goal with its servicing team on the streets is to reduce non-emergency visits at urgent care and increase access to permanent housing and long-term health. 

“Creating a more unified system in the area sets us up for success. By resolving the health challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, we remove major barriers to their successful reintegration into everyday life,” said Orange County First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen, a member of the CalOptima Health Board.