Breaking Barriers

Volunteers with Midwest Street Medicine are bringing medical care to the most vulnerable among us.

On the streets of downtown Sioux Falls, volunteer doctors, nurses, peer support specialists, and more are bringing sorely needed medical care to the most vulnerable among us. The volunteers for Midwest Street Medicine (MSM) are making a difference in the lives of unhoused individuals by making sure they have access to care — access that they believe everyone in our community should have.

Photo by Emily Spartz-Weerheim

On Sunday and Monday mornings, volunteers treat patients at Bishop Dudley Hospitality House and embark into the streets to look for more people in need. Outfitted with a wagon and backpacks full of medical supplies, snacks, and water bottles, they aim to meet people where they are and give them the treatment they need.

According to Dr. Bob Santella, a volunteer with MSM, there are many factors that influence an unhoused person’s medical situation, such as a history of mental or physical trauma, mental illness, severe poverty, lack of access to health insurance, and hunger. "Unhoused people have all the cards stacked against them," he said.

Trust is often the hardest thing to come by when dealing with vulnerable populations, but the street team is making headway. "We had one woman who watched us for three weeks before approaching for help," said Diane Eide, RN. "These folks haven't always had good experiences in medical settings."

By bringing the care to the people who need it, MSM not only avoids the baggage and trauma of the emergency room, but they get to develop relationships with the people they serve. "People know us now, and they seek us out," said Eide.

The volunteers' work doesn't end when wounds are healed or sickness is conquered, according to Alicia Dirksen-Redmond, RN. "We often go with people to specialist appointments or help get them connected with additional resources. The goal is to break through barriers and reduce the stigma they face," she said. "We're here to help — we're not here to judge and we're not here to push. We meet them where they are today."

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation provided grant funding to help get MSM off the ground. "When we see great ideas and programs that are impacting the community in a positive way, we want to be involved," said Patrick Gale, the Foundation's vice president for community investment. "Midwest Street Medicine is a great example of innovative thinking in action, bringing essential services directly to those who need them most."

Midwest Street Medicine and its volunteers do this work because they believe that access to quality medical care should be a right instead of a privilege, and they're working to create that reality one person at a time. "One week we'll help someone who is sick, and the next week when we see them, they are better. That's what this is all about." Dr. Santella said. "I'm certain that we've saved lives."