MADISON STREET MEDICINE - FORMALY MACH ONEHEALTH

Description

We are on a mission to bridge gaps in the Madison area healthcare system by connecting with people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity with compassion and respect. We envision a community where individuals experiencing housing insecurity have equitable housing and healthcare.

In the autumn of 2015, a group of concerned activists, outreach workers, and medical personnel came together to address a set of major issues in the Madison area. Throughout the city, people experiencing homelessness were going without essential medical care, for everything from diabetes to foot injuries to chemotherapy follow-up. Some existing organizations, as well as trained and untrained volunteers, were trying to help individual sufferers, but nothing existed that truly got at the roots of the problem. From these discussions, Madison Area Care for the Homeless OneHealth (MACH) emerged.

Over the years, MACH has emerged as a community leader in providing and coordinating compassionate, holistic healthcare for individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization now consists of a 230 volunteer mailing list with about 30 active volunteers. There are three paid staff members: one full-time and two part-time. We also have welcomed a UW nursing student for the semester. The volunteers and staff carry out a variety of services tailored to the unique needs of our patients.

In 2020 and beyond, we will continuously expand our existing services and assess what additional programs are needed.