CalOptima’s Street Medicine Program Expands in Orange County

Santa Ana, Calif., has become the fourth city in Orange County to participate in CalOptima Health’s Street Medicine Program, which, in partnership with AltaMed Health Services, combines health and social services to address the needs of the vulnerable unhoused population. The program delivers comprehensive healthcare via a mobile doctor’s office and providing a path to permanent housing.

CalOptima Health provides quality healthcare coverage for low-income people in Orange County. It serves more than 850,000 members with a network of 9,500 primary care doctors and specialists and 42 acute and rehab hospitals.

CalOptima says its Street Medicine Program has demonstrated significant impact in serving more than 1,100 members since its inception. Members are better connected to a medical home, see their primary care provider regularly and are enrolled in supportive services that guide them to housing, according to CalOptima Health data.

The program engages people experiencing homelessness where they are and on their terms, to reduce barriers to care and increase access to medical and social services. The program relies on collaboration with city, county and community organizations with the ultimate goal of helping individuals achieve better health outcomes and gain secure housing.

According to the City of Santa Ana’s point-in-time count in 2025, approximately 500 people are unsheltered in Santa Ana, and many of them may benefit from the new program.

“I am proud to help bring the Street Medicine Program to the City of Santa Ana, my hometown, and the community I have had the privilege of serving for many years,” said Vicente Sarmiento, who represents Santa Ana on the Board of Supervisors and serves as Chair of the CalOptima Health Board of Directors, in a statement. “This program will expand access to medical care for people experiencing homelessness, while also connecting them to housing and supportive services, all of which are critical to helping them transition off the streets. Paired with the $11 million the CalOptima Health Board has invested in capital housing projects in Santa Ana, this effort creates real pathways for individuals to move toward stability and long-term housing and reduce the likelihood of individuals returning to the streets.”