Kansas City-based nonprofit gains resources to address significant gaps in care for people without access to comprehensive medical care services
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The WellSky Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to removing socioeconomic barriers to health and improving quality of life for vulnerable populations, announced it has gifted $100,000 to Care Beyond the Boulevard, a nonprofit committed to providing comprehensive medical care to the homeless, uninsured, or otherwise vulnerable populations of Kansas City.
Nearly 600,000 people in the U.S. experience homelessness each day, with 1,798 of those affected on the streets in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Care Beyond the Boulevard is working to address this socioeconomic barrier to wellness by providing comprehensive medical and mental health care five days a week through its mobile and stationary clinics.
Care Beyond the Boulevard delivers high-quality, evidenced-based care and diagnosis and treatment plans outside the bounds of the traditional health care setting for unsheltered homeless patients by taking the healthcare organization directly to the patient. In 2022, Care Beyond the Boulevard’s volunteer staff – consisting of 15 healthcare providers and over 200 community members – served 3,000 patients and completed more than 9,000 visits.
“For many of our patients, medical care often takes a back seat when they are thinking about where to get their next meal. But that’s when our patients need us the most,” stated KK Assmann, executive director, Care Beyond the Boulevard. “With the WellSky Foundation’s generous grant, we can expand our impact to serve more people across the Kansas City metropolitan area and become a force for healthcare equality and social change.”
Leveraging this donation from the WellSky Foundation, the organization will enhance their medical services with a portable ultrasound machine to assist with diagnoses and a new van to transport their team, medical resources, and the people they serve.
All of Care Beyond the Boulevard’s services are free and do not require insurance or documents of any kind. Clinics are set up for patients to walk up and receive the assistance they need, including acute care for wound care, burns, upper respiratory illnesses, and other short-term medical problems; routine care such as check-ups and follow up appointments to manage chronic illnesses and medication; seasonal care in the form of physicals for children and vaccines; and case management assistance specific to medical records and housing.
“At the WellSky Foundation, our team is driven by our passion to make lasting health and wellness accessible for all,” stated Brett Fuller, executive director, WellSky Foundation. “It’s organizations like Care Beyond the Boulevard that demonstrate our mission daily by providing comprehensive medical care to people experiencing homelessness. We are thrilled to enable their continued work in the Kansas City area.”
Since its inception in 2019, the WellSky Foundation has donated more than $1 million to nearly 30 organizations working tirelessly to remove social barriers to health and wellness. To learn more about the WellSky Foundation’s mission and impact, visit WellSkyFoundation.org.
About Care Beyond the Boulevard
Care Beyond the Boulevard (CBB) fills a significant gap in access to comprehensive medical care for Kansas City’s homeless residents. Five days a week, CBB delivers high-quality, reliable, evidenced-based care in the areas of primary medical care, wound care, women’s health, mental health, and diagnosis and treatment plans outside the bounds of the traditional health care setting for unsheltered homeless patients by taking the healthcare organization directly to the patient. CBB’s Statement of Solidarity states that the values of inclusivity, solidarity, justice and love guide the medical care delivered. The life-sustaining mental and physical healthcare administered by the providers, staff, and volunteers of CBB are trusted and depended upon by their patients. CBB’s mission is to ensure that homeless, uninsured or otherwise vulnerable members of society retain access to quality medical and mental health care despite adverse financial or social circumstances outside the bounds of traditional healthcare settings, and in doing so become a force for health care equality and social change. For more information, please visit carebeyondtheboulevard.org/.
About the WellSky® Foundation
The WellSky Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to improving quality of life for vulnerable populations by removing social barriers to health, recovery, and lasting wellness. The WellSky Foundation is an engine for change, financially supporting organizations that enable care and healing for people, regardless of their socioeconomic status. With a deep understanding of the social determinants of health, the WellSky Foundation partners with community organizations that are boldly addressing the top four socioeconomic factors affecting long-term wellness — housing, food insecurity, transportation, and isolation. The WellSky Foundation is committed to funding and supporting organizations that protect the people and communities they serve and create better outcomes for people in need. Together with our community partners, the WellSky Foundation is breaking down social barriers to health and wellness to build thriving communities. To learn more about the WellSky Foundation, visit WellSkyFoundation.org.
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Emma Mulvaney
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Email: emma.mulvaney@allisonpr.com
