Adrienne’s background in social work and her passion for meeting people where they are drew her to the position. She knew it was a new role and was integral to helping design how to incorporate housing support roles into the mobile health work. Adrienne had witnessed and experienced times of trial and brought her resilience and understanding into leading the health team.

Adrienne’s main challenge was helping to form a cohesive and focused team in a challenging work environment that was new to Central City Concern. This was the first mobile health program for Central City Concern, and the multiple funding streams, timing of hiring for various roles, and figuring out how to translate clinic-based roles into mobile health were a challenge. In addition, having clinical, outreach, and housing-focused roles all working on the same team was uncharted territory. Adrienne brought her people skills to the challenge and developed the team through her support and implementation of the strategic vision.

Adrienne Croskey worked with around 20 different mobile van operators in the tri-county region (Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties). She also partnered deeply with Medical Teams International to support providing dental services and medical services side by side in the houseless community. In addition, she partnered with various shelters and those running services that drew the houseless population together for meals or other services. Central City’s Mobile Health Team also partnered with the City of Portland and Urban Alchemy, providing medical care at Mayor Wheeler’s Temporary Assisted Shelter sites and with Multnomah County to provide emergency care services in the cooling shelters during the summer months.

Adrienne’s work lives on through the people served by Central City Concern’s Mobile Health Teams. What started out as a pilot has now grown from a two-person backpack street medicine team into two teams covering medical, behavioral, and SUDs treatment. Between the teams, over 12 shelters are regularly supported in addition to other community gathering spaces. One man who was refusing treatment has now decided to live. One lady who came to the clinic now works for Central City Concern and looks forward to giving back to the community. Many have been screened for Hep C and connected to treatment. And trust is being restored that was once a barrier to this community seeking care in a brick-and-mortar clinic. Adrienne served her city, her team, and countless lives touched by Central City’s Mobile Health program.

Submission written by Richard Bruno, Multnomah County Health Officer; Lorie Dolo Scott, Multnomah County Director of Nursing Corrections