Federal Grant Award Summary

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science received a $499,999 Project Grant award effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Health Professionals under the Primary Care Training and Enhancement (PCTE) program (CFDA 93.884). The university will develop and deliver the Street Medicine Advance Residency Training (SMART) program, which integrates structured street-based medicine training into its Family Medicine and Internal Medicine residency programs. The program expands six clinical rotations across postgraduate year (PGY) 1-3 residents through partnerships with CDU's Mobile Health Outreach Project (MOHOP) and the Department of Health Services Street Medicine Team, coupled with a structured didactic curriculum incorporating the American Academy of Family Physicians Street Medicine Outreach Course and longitudinal instruction in patient-centered care, behavioral health management, harm reduction, and social determinants of health.

The SMART program directly addresses HRSA's goal of preparing primary care physicians to deliver high-quality, comprehensive, and culturally sensitive care to people experiencing homelessness (PEH) in non-traditional healthcare settings. Training emphasizes the development of residents' knowledge and skills in navigating medical, behavioral health, legal, and social support systems while strengthening interprofessional team collaboration. The initiative integrates mental health and substance use disorder treatment, chronic disease management, and medical-legal collaboration to address the social determinants of health impacting vulnerable populations in Los Angeles.