StreetReach
StreetReach strengthens care for unsheltered communities.
Overview
StreetReach brings nurse-led healthcare directly to individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Northern Nevada. It meets people where they are, connecting them to care and strengthening communities. StreetReach is supported by a FOCUS award from Gilead Sciences.
The problem
Unsheltered homelessness in Reno and Washoe County has hit record highs, driven by a severe lack of affordable housing and the loss of weekly motels. It is characterized by high mortality rates and a continued reliance on the Nevada Cares Campus, which serves as a large-scale emergency shelter. While the Nevada Cares Campus has 550 beds, it is at capacity nightly with hundreds more individuals without shelter in the community.
The population of unsheltered homeless in Washoe County is experiencing increased mortality, with over 90 deaths reported in 2025, and to date, there has not been a consistent community coordinated effort to provide medical care to unsheltered homeless individuals in Reno.
The solution
StreetReach launched March 2, 2026, with a team comprised of a faculty nurse, a program coordinator and a community health worker. Initially, the team will work in a two-block radius of the CARES Campus, which serves over 500 unsheltered persons nightly. Clinical services are provided three afternoons weekly – two afternoons on the streets and one afternoon at Village on Sage, where individuals can seek care. StreetReach has secured several community partnerships to support this work, including the CARES Campus, Northern Nevada HOPES and Community Health Alliance as care linkage sites, Washoe County Human Services, Renown Health, Volunteers of America, Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Village on Sage, RISE and others.
StreetReach will also incorporate experiential learning for nursing students. Students will work with the StreetReach team on the streets, providing services and health education.
The results
We anticipate three key outcomes from the StreetReach project:
- Improved access: By bringing care directly to the streets, we aim to overcome the significant barriers to traditional healthcare (e.g., lack of transportation, mistrust or fear). We will provide immediate care, such as wound care and testing for blood-borne viruses.
- Building trust and relationships: We will offer consistent engagement with our multidisciplinary teams to foster trust and allow for improved care engagement and long-term health management.
- Reduced Healthcare Costs: By treating illnesses early, StreetReach expects to reduce emergency room visits and hospital admissions, ultimately saving money in the healthcare system.