Pinellas County Human Services - Health Care for the Homeless

link to Health & Human Services home page

A Place Where Homeless Can Receive Basic Health Care

To Apply for the Program Online, Click Here.

A look at the program . . .

	What does the program offer?
	How do I participate?
	What if I still have questions?
	What if I’m not eligible for this program?

The Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program provides medical services, otherwise known as primary care, which includes treatment of illness or injury as well as preventive care, education, limited prescription coverage and
referrals for lab work, specialty care,
dental assistance, behavioral-mental health assistance, and substance abuse treatment.

The staff includes a medical director, examiner, nurses, and DOH staff.Pinellas County Homeless residents can receive basic healthcare in two primary locations: Bayside Health Clinic and with the Mobile Medical Unit.

Bayside Health Clinic

Bayside Health Clinic provides basic medical care to homeless individuals residing in Pinellas County. The clinic located mid-county at 14808 49th St. N., Clearwater next to the Safe Harbor Homeless Shelter is a one-story, free-standing facility with exam rooms and a dental office.
Hours of operation are:
Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.,
Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and
Saturday 8 a.m. - 12:00 noon.

Mobile Medical Unit

The mobile unit is a medical office on wheels. It has provided basic care for more than 20 years. Pinellas County homeless can receive basic health care on the mobile medical unit at no charge. Emergency services are not provided on the unit. The unit travels to multiple locations in Pinellas County serving homeless residents who have no insurance.

Mobile Medical Unit Calendar

Healthcare for the Homeless Brochure

What does the program offer?

Primary medical care, including lab work and necessary tests
Wellness and prevention services, including annual physicals
Prescriptions
Cancer screenings
Nutrition education and counseling
Behavioral health screening and referral for treatment
Case management services
Preventative and restorative dental care
Specialty care

Please review our Client Handbook - Español for more information.

How do I participate?

Please complete the Enrollment Application prior to arriving in person at the Mobile Medical Unit or Bayside Health Clinic. Click Here to apply now.

You can visit either the Bayside Health Clinic or the Mobile Medical Unit.

1. Bayside Health Clinic
14808 49th Street N.
Clearwater, Florida 33762
(727) 453-7866
Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. (noon)
(The last appointment time is approximately 30 minutes prior to the closing time.)

Mobile Medical Unit

The service locations and operational times have been set in an effort to reach the largest number of people in need.

2. St. Vincent De Paul Soup Kitchen
1340 Pierce St.
Clearwater, FL 33756

3. Homeless Emergency Project
1051 Holt Ave.
Clearwater, FL 33755

4. Pinellas Hope
5726 126th Ave. N.
Clearwater, FL 33760

5. Salvation Army ARC
(Adult Recovery Center)
5885 66th St. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33709

6. Salvation Army One Stop
Resource Outreach Center
1400 4th St. S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

7. St. Vincent De Paul Center of Hope
401 15th St. N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33713

You may apply for services from any location using a computer with an internet connection, including at the county Human Services Offices.

Who can receive services?

To receive services, you may:

Be homeless
Be a Pinellas County resident
Be an uninsured or underinsured Pinellas County resident

The program serves all homeless patients regardless of their ability to pay. A sliding scale fee discount program is available for individuals under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

What are my rights to privacy?

Please take a few minutes to review the Notice of Privacy Practices information. It explains how medical information may or may not be used and how you can get that medical information.

What if I still have questions?

Please call (727) 453-7866 if you still have questions. If you have a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1. However, if you would like to speak to a doctor or nurse after business hours regarding an illness, medication, or minor injury, please call the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County at (727) 824-6900 and a medical professional will return your call.

What if I’m not eligible for this program?

Please ask us for information and resources that may help you. You may call 2-1-1, Tampa Bay’s 2-1-1 Call Center, or visit www.211tampabay.org . This resource lists hundreds of options that may help you find assistance in the community.

How can I provide feedback to the program?

Pinellas County is regularly seeking feedback to the program. There are numerous opportunities to participate including:

The HCH Co-Applicant Governing Board
The HCH Co-Applicant Board serves as the patient/community-based governing board to set health center policy for the Healthcare for the Homeless Program on behalf of the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners. Patients/Clients are encouraged to participate by attending monthly meetings and/or by becoming a board member. Each monthly meeting provides an opportunity for patients to provide feedback and guidance to a variety of issues.

Stakeholder Surveys
The program regularly issues surveys to its clients/stakeholders. Client may anonymously complete a customer satisfaction survey on-site at the clinic/van and place the survey in the locked box. In addition, the County distributes electronic and in-person surveys to stakeholders in the community and to clients as part of the needs assessment process.

Call us
If your issue cannot be resolved by the Department of Health, Human Services staff or supervisor, you may call the Customer Service Liaison at (727) 582-7533.

Committed to Quality and Performance

The Health Care for the Homeless Program is committed to high quality clinical services and using evidence-based practices. The clinicls medical and nursing staff follow evidence-based national health care guidelines from sources such as American Academy of Family Practice, American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guidelines, Centers for Disease Control, and United States Preventive Services Task Force.

In 2016, the Pinellas County HCH program became a Patient Centered Medical Home, a recognition status earned through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Patient centered medical homes (PCMH) transform primary care practices into what patients want: health care that focuses on them and their needs. Everyone in the practice - from clinicians to front desk staff - work as a team to coordinate care from other providers and community resources. This transformation is an ongoing continuous quality improvement effort.

Check out our data reported annually to HRSA.

In addition in 2018, Pinellas County has again been awarded HRSA's Quality Improvement Award for making significant quality improvement gains from the previous year. Read more here.

HCH Co-Applicant Board Overview, Meeting Agendas and Minutes

This website is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $3,190,109 with 45% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov .