School of Nursing

News and Events

Media coverage 

The I-CAN project is all about getting out in the community, and from time to time we receive media attention for the work that we're doing. We've been covered in internal and external publications, and have been featured on local news.

Jackson Care Connect: Community Health Improvement Plan Grant

Jackson Care Connect has provided a generous grant to the I-CAN program to establish the Ashland Street Health Nursing Team. The need for this program is high - there were 727 people experiencing houselessness in Jackson County according to the 2020 Point in Time Count. An estimated 40% of this population are chronically homeless and navigating chronic conditions (Jackson County Continuum of Care, 2020). Local issues with houses lost to wildfires and job loss due to the COVID pandemic have resulted in a further increase in unsheltered people. Those who are ‘rough sleepers,’ defined as being unsheltered and living in alleyways, urban encampments, tents, or under bridges, have higher rates of illness and die on average nearly three decades earlier than the housed population, most commonly due to preventable and treatable chronic medical conditions (Street Medicine Institute, 2021).

The Street Health Nursing Team expands upon the vision of the OHSU Foot Soak Clinic in Ashland, which provides an opportunity for nursing students to work 1:1 with individuals experiencing houselessness in a setting that is free of the power structures this population encounters in clinics and hospitals. The foot soak clinic has led to an increase in patients seen on La Clinica’s Mobile Health Unit as once trust is established, the OHSU team can facilitate entry to care. The vision of the Ashland Street Health Nursing Team is to establish trust, respect dignity, and care for people exactly where they are. The team focuses on improving social and health outcomes for people who are currently unsheltered or transitioning into housing.

I-CAN Team group photo

Have more questions? Feel free to reach out to ican@ohsu.edu