Founded in May 2021, in response to inequities illuminated during the COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco, the Roving Community Health Initiative was formed to improve access to care for marginalized communities in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco.
RCHI operates regular pop-up clinics in collaboration with community partners with on-site services complimented by mobile teams that bring care directly to people in the community, with a primary focus on unhoused and marginally housed individuals. We care for people on the streets, in tents, encampments, at community centers, in shelters, residential treatment programs, and single-room occupancy hotels.
Clinics and roving teams are staffed by a combination of UCSF clinicians, students, community volunteers and Code Tenderloin ambassadors.
- UCSF registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists and medical assistants working voluntary extra shifts
- Students from UCSF schools of nursing, pharmacy and medicine
- Community Volunteers
Services Provided
Vaccinations: Covid-19, Flu, M-Pox
Covid-19 Testing & Therapeutics
Wound Care: RCHI roving teams provide wound care, education and referrals.
Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention: RCHI Clinicians and trained volunteers distribute Narcan and Fentanyl Testing strips, each with one-on-one education for community members on how to respond to an overdose and minimize risks when consuming substances.
Referrals & Health Education: In collaboration with our primary partners, Code Tenderloin, GLIDE and Gubbio, we offer referrals for shelter, housing, substance use disorder treatment, healthcare, and other agencies as required.
A Note From Our Volunteers
Volunteering with RCHI has been eye-opening for all of us. We've learned how to see things from a new perspective and understand our community on a deeper level. Each experience challenges us to be adaptable, whether it’s problem-solving on the spot or finding new and creative ways to meet people where they are. Being able to make a positive impact and give back directly to those who need it most is incredibly rewarding, and we are grateful to be part of a team that truly cares about making a difference.
RCHI Partners
Learn more about RCHI's partner organizations
