By Madeline Gauthier, University of Nevada-Reno
“Treatment Talk” is a single podcast episode that was created by Madeline “Maddie” Gauthier as a project for her Advanced Nonfiction class at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). The episode explores the factors that contribute to a lack of accessible healthcare for the unhoused population in Reno, as well as considers possible approaches to solving the problem. To do this, Maddie interviewed three people, all with a different perspective on healthcare for the unhoused population: Cameron Rose, a formerly unhoused student at UNR, activist, and local business owner; Julia Cross, the director of the Hope Springs program that provides medical care to the unhoused population in Reno; and Jenna Wong-Fortunato, a community health worker with Immunize Nevada.
Cameron’s section delves into his lived experiences to suggest which health issues the unhoused are most likely to suffer from and sheds light on why unhoused people are less likely to seek medical care. Julia’s section outlines her experiences as a “street medicine” provider and delves into the current medical services available to the unhoused in Reno. Jenna’s section provides a more focused exploration of a specific treatment option: vaccines. She discusses barriers that unhoused people might face to getting vaccinated and what that means for the unhoused community more broadly. Together, these three stories provide a fuller picture of the current state of medical care for the unhoused population in Reno and suggest future steps we should take to ensure everyone has access to the care they need.
For more information on the work that Treatment Talk’s guests continue to do for the unhoused community in Reno, listeners can visit the following resources:
- Northern Nevada HOPES
- Hope Springs
- Immunize Nevada
- Contact for Immunize Nevada Volunteer Information
REFLECTIONS
Student Reflection: Madeline Gauthier
Instructor Reflection: Bill Macauley
OTHER DOCUMENTS
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