Macomb County Street Medicine & Spartan Street Medicine

Macomb County Street Medicine (MCSM) is an outreach initiative operating through the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine that brings clinical care, medical guidance and substance use harm reduction directly to unhoused individuals in Southeastern Michigan. Framed by a philosophy that physicians and future physicians have an obligation to actively seek out acute medical needs among unsheltered community members, the project pairs SpartanDO medical students with community partners to provide pragmatic, compassionate services where people live.

MCSM's primary community partner for substance use-related services is HARM:LESS, a program operated by the nonprofit Face Addiction Now (FAN). In collaboration with the HARM:LESS team, SpartanDO students and faculty advisors deliver combined clinical outreach and substance use harm reduction services, creating a multidisciplinary front that addresses both immediate medical concerns and the risks associated with substance use. The model emphasizes direct engagement: rather than expecting patients to come to clinic sites, MCSM brings medical guidance, basic care, and harm reduction tools into the environments where unhoused people are located. This approach supports trust-building between healthcare trainees and communities often underserved by traditional health systems, while enabling students to develop practical skills in community-based care, culturally responsive communication, and harm reduction strategies. The program situates clinical activities within an ethos of service and education; student participants gain experiential learning under faculty supervision while community members receive accessible care and resources.

The program page explicitly positions MCSM as part of the College's broader clinical outreach portfolio, alongside other community-integrated efforts, and highlights its role in addressing public health needs specific to Southeastern Michigan's unhoused population. Contact information for faculty advisors is provided, with Dr. Bret Bielawski and Dr. Carolina Restini listed as points of contact, indicating available institutional support and oversight. The webpage also includes information for those wishing to support the College's outreach work financially, providing a link for online donations with an allocation code, which may enable donors to direct contributions to relevant College initiatives. Through its partnership with HARM:LESS and FAN, MCSM exemplifies how academic medical communities can partner with local nonprofits to combine medical care with substance use education and harm reduction resources. The initiative's blend of student engagement, faculty supervision, and community partnership underscores a commitment to meeting immediate needs while training future physicians to practice with empathy, responsiveness, and a focus on reducing harm among vulnerable populations.