Purpose
People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face significant barriers to accessing healthcare and social services, leading to poorer health outcomes. This abstract presents a student-led community intervention aimed at improving access to services for PEH while fostering students’ competencies in working with marginalized populations.

Methods
Through a year-long Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, an MD/MPH, MSW, and MPH student collaborated with The Beacon, a day center, and HOMES Clinic, a student-run free clinic, to implement a resource navigation program for PEH in Houston, TX. Students addressed clients' social determinants of health (SDoH) through needs assessments and care plans, using the Unified Care Continuum Platform (UCCP) from the Patient Care Intervention Center (PCIC) for care coordination. Semi-weekly in-person follow-ups and virtual support allowed continuous client engagement and adaptive care.

Results
Preliminary data from 23 clients indicated primary needs in housing (70%), identification documents (61%), and SNAP access (39%). Among the ten clients (43%) with follow-ups, six (60%) successfully accessed and utilized resources. Clients expressed gratitude for sustained engagement, with one stating, “You have been an inspiration to keep going forward,” and others noting they often felt overlooked by providers. Additionally, students reported increased confidence in addressing SDoH for future clients or patients after starting this project.

Conclusion
This student-led initiative demonstrates the potential to improve health outcomes for PEH by prioritizing direct support and personalized assistance. It also prepares future healthcare providers to better support low-income patients by deepening their understanding of the challenges of navigating social services. A key lesson learned is that even small successes, such as obtaining SNAP benefits or clean clothes, can profoundly impact clients’ lives and motivation. While limited research exists on student-led models enhancing caseworker reach, this approach shows promise as a replicable interdisciplinary strategy to bridge service gaps and address SDoH.