Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine and Premier Health have been awarded a $2.5 million federal grant to expand Dayton Street Medicine, a program dedicated to providing primary healthcare to individuals experiencing homelessness in the Dayton area. This initiative, supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration Family Medicine Education Training Grant, marks the first of its kind in Ohio.

Commitment to Community-Based Care

Dayton Street Medicine, a collaboration between the Boonshoft School of Medicine, Premier Health, Premier Community Health, and the Dayton Dream Center, was launched in 2025 with backing from the OneOhio Recovery Foundation. The program currently operates from the Premier Health Mobile Clinic at the Dream Center on East Third Street, offering health screenings and primary medical care to those facing challenges such as chronic illness, behavioral health issues, and substance use, compounded by unstable housing.

Dr. Anna Squibb, program director of family medicine and addiction medicine at Premier Health, highlighted the program’s long-standing commitment to community-based care and its robust resident training infrastructure as key factors in securing the grant. In its first year, Dayton Street Medicine has conducted 448 clinical visits and 313 health screenings, serving approximately 300 individuals.

Expanding Reach and Training

This summer, the program will add two new service days. One will extend care to a rural setting through a partnership with the Bethany Center in Piqua and Miami County Public Health. Marietta Orlowski, a professor at Wright State and director of Dayton Street Medicine’s Rural Initiatives, emphasized the importance of serving communities with limited access to care while providing students with practical experience in underserved areas.

The second service day will focus on street rounds, bringing care teams directly to individuals in high-need areas of Dayton. Each team will include a family medicine physician, a peer recovery supporter, a program coordinator who is also a certified medical assistant, along with medical students and family medicine residents.

Innovative Learning for Future Physicians

The program offers a unique learning experience for medical students, residents, and addiction medicine fellows, teaching them to understand and navigate patients’ lives beyond traditional clinical settings. Sydney Silverstein, associate professor and director of outreach at Dayton Street Medicine, noted that the program has inspired more students to pursue careers in similar fields.

Medical students like Beth Ekeh and Isabelle Fox have found the experience transformative, learning to provide comprehensive and compassionate care despite limited resources. As Boonshoft School of Medicine graduates and residents incorporate street medicine training into their practices, the program’s model is expected to expand access to community-based care across Ohio.

Original reporting: Dayton Daily News — read the source article.