Health and Medical Sciences 98/198: The Suitcase Clinic

A Service Learning Course

University of California, Berkeley

Health and Medical Sciences Department

www.suitcaseclinic.org

Thursdays, 5:00 – 7:00 PM

56 Barrows Hall

Course Description

The Suitcase Clinic is a student and volunteer run organization founded by students from the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP) and UC Berkeley's School of Public Health out of a desire to address the unmet needs of the city of Berkeley’s homeless and low-income population. Structured around the principles of public health, social welfare, community activism and empathy, the Suitcase Clinic currently operates three weekly multi-service drop-in centers in the city Berkeley; the General Clinic, the Women’s Clinic and the Youth Clinic. In addition to providing services, the Suitcase Clinic strives to educate students, promote health care access, engage in community organization, and support public policy efforts that address homelessness and the needs of the underserved in the local community.

Health and Medical Science 98/198 is a 2-unit Pass/NotPass 16-week course offered Thursdays from 5:00 - 7:00 PM every fall and spring semester to undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley. Undergraduate students facilitate this course as both Class Coordinators and Undergraduate Student Instructors (UGSIs). HMS 98/198 is not a DeCal course, but rather is affiliated with the Health and Medical Sciences Division of UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. Undergraduate students interested in volunteering with the Suitcase Clinic during the fall and spring semesters of the academic year must first take this course, which combines community service with classroom learning. Both this class and the Suitcase Clinic as a whole are intended for students with an interest in public health and social welfare, not those interested in receiving extensive clinical exposure in preparation for medical school.

Students interested in working directly with the homeless population and providing health and social services to the underserved are our ideal applicants. This course will help students develop basic skills in health care and social work, learn about community resources and government programs, and gain a greater awareness about issues of homelessness, poverty, and health. Students who enroll in the course serve as volunteer caseworkers at one or more of the Suitcase Clinic’s drop-in centers. After completing the course and concurrent volunteer commitment with the Suitcase Clinic, students have the opportunity to continue their involvement within our organization by remaining as dedicated volunteers at our drop-in centers, running for staff positions on our Planning Committee, or becoming involved as medical assistants at one of several allied community health care clinics in the city of Berkeley.

Course Enrollment

Our first class for the spring 2008 semester will be held on Thursday, January 24^th. Incoming students will be selected based on their answers to an application, which will be handed out on this first day. It will be due by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, January 30^th, in 570 University Hall. Course entry codes are passed out on the second week of classes after your application has been reviewed and you have been accepted into the course. Freshmen and sophomores (those with less than 60 units) enroll in HMS 98, while juniors and seniors (those with more than 60 units) enroll in HMS 198. Students enrolled in HMS 98 participate in the same classroom as those in HMS 198, receive the same training, and attend the same lectures.

Due to space constraints, we are unable to accept auditors into the class, nor can we admit students who just want to volunteer without receiving units. However, there are still other ways to get involved with the Suitcase Clinic. If you are unable to take this course, speak with one of the Class Coordinators for more information about additional volunteer opportunities, such as attending one of our two Summer Trainings (which are open to everyone, not just UC Berkeley undergraduate students), volunteering as a service provider at one of our three drop-in centers, or participating in SPEAC and/or SHARE.

Schedule

The first six weeks of the course focus on educating and training undergraduate caseworkers for their volunteer work within the Suitcase Clinic. The remaining nine weeks provide students with a fundamental understanding of the issues faced by homeless people and low-income individuals. In addition, these later weeks revisit and refine the skills learned within the first portion of the class.

1. 1/24/08 Introduction to the Suitcase Clinic and HMS 98/198
2. 1/31/08 The Suitcase Clinic’s model and the role of the caseworker
3. 2/07/08 Caseworking skills, local resources and domestic abuse
4. 2/14/08 Security training and emergency response
5. 2/21/08 Suicide and crisis training
6. 2/28/08 Midterm Review
7. 3/06/08 (Midterm, Planning Committee and SHARE requirement both due)
8. 3/13/08 Housing and unemployment
9. 3/20/08 Civil rights (first caseworking requirement due)
10. 3/27/08 Spring Break
11. 4/03/08 Diversity
12. 4/10/08 Substance abuse (second caseworking requirement due)
13. 4/17/08 Mental illness
14. 4/24/08 Health care (third caseworking requirement due)
15. 5/01/08 Welfare (final paper due)
16. 5/08/08 Small Group Project presentations, wrap-up, evaluations (fourth caseworking requirement due)

Attendance

• Students are allowed a maximum of two unexcused class absences before receiving a grade of NotPass. You are also allowed one excused absence in case of conflicts with midterms in other courses, documented medical emergencies, and valid personal emergencies. Students must submit proof of absence to the class coordinator in charge of attendance (Addie Cuneo) in a timely manner. You must be present for the entire class period; leaving class early and unexcused will be considered an absence. Students must attend each of the entire first six weeks of this course in order to remain enrolled, as the most sensitive and important lessons are given during this time.
• Attendance at the General Clinic tour on January 29th is mandatory for all students in order to remain enrolled in this course. General Clinic volunteers must shadow one time at the General Clinic before the midterm is administered. They must casework at the General Clinic drop-in center at least three times, and at another drop-in center at least once, within the semester.
• Youth Clinic volunteers must first attend the Youth Clinic tour on January 28^th before being eligible to volunteer there. They must casework at the Youth Clinic drop-in center at least three times, and at another drop-in center at least once, within the semester.
• Women’s Clinic volunteers must first attend the Women’s Clinic tour on January 28^th before being eligible to volunteer there. They must casework at the Women’s Clinic drop-in center at least three times, and at another drop-in center at least once, within the semester.
• In an effort to ensure an even flow of volunteers at our drop-in centers, it is required that you complete your first case working day by 3/20/08, your second by 4/10/08, your third by 4/24/08, and your fourth and final caseworking by 5/8/08.
• All students must attend one Planning Committee meeting and one SHARE meeting before the midterm is administered on 3/6/08. The Planning Committee meets on Wednesdays, from 7:00-8:00 PM, in 2326 Tolman. SHARE meets on the 3rd floor of the General Clinic every Tuesday from 7:30 - 9:00 PM.

Assignments

1. Weekly readings, which will be assigned a week prior to the date of class discussion. You will be expected to have read the course materials for each section before the class period during which that topic will be discussed. You are required to bring the course reader to class each week, as much of our discussion will be based upon the articles therein. The course reader will be available at University Copy Service on the third week of classes. University Copy Service is located at 2425 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94704, and can be reached via phone at (510) 549-2335.
2. A midterm, administered on March 6^th. It will be 50% written, 50% oral. Students must pass the midterm to remain enrolled within the course. More details will be given out during the first five weeks of the class. After the completion of the midterm, students may begin serving as caseworkers at the drop-in center of their choice.
3. The completion each week of a half-page reflection paper. This paper will cover the readings for that week, in addition to your caseworking experience at a drop-in center on that Monday or Tuesday if applicable. This will be submitted in both physical and electronic form to your small group’s Undergraduate Student Instructor (UGSI).
4. The completion and presentation to the entire class of your small group project on May 5^th, 2008.
5. A final paper covering a specific topic which we have covered during the course, submitted in both physical and electronic form to your small group’s Undergraduate Student Instructor (UGSI), due on May 1^st, 2008.

Final Paper Guidelines

• Minimum of four pages, double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12 pt. Times New Roman font.
• Answer all aspects of the topic you choose.
• Cite all sources you use, including the reader. Bibliography optional.
• It is meant to be both factual and personal.

Listed below are several potential topics for you to choose from when writing your final paper. Please think about your topic and have it approved by your UGSI beforehand.

• Pick a referral for the use of the homeless and undergo the process of obtaining that referral – what is the experience really like? Is it efficient? How long does it take to obtain the service? What kinds of changes can be made to improve the experience?
• Create a policy proposal or choose one already in existence about homelessness and write about its effectiveness and its effects on the homeless community/individuals. How realistic is it? Which parties do you have to keep in mind when writing this proposal?
• Choose any major topic in the reader (i.e. mental illness, civil rights) and write about the major issue in relation to homelessness. Why is it an important one to discuss? What facts can you find? How can you address the issue to make positive changes
• As we are always looking to improve the reader, find two articles in regards to any of the major topics of the reader, and write a two-page reflection on each article. Include why you felt the article is important, and why it may have helped you if it had been in the reader.
• Free topic. Make sure it is relevant to this class and the topics we discuss, and please get it approved by your UGSI ahead of time.

Class Coordinators

Undergraduate students facilitate this course as both Class Coordinators and Undergraduate Student Instructors (UGSIs). Contact the Class Coordinators for administrative concerns:

• Courtney Hernandez (court@berkeley.edu) regarding attendance;
• Austin Eckard (eckard@berkeley.edu) regarding enrollment;
• Addie Cueno (aacuneo@berkeley.edu) regarding course requirements;

Small Groups

During the semester, the class is divided into six smaller discussion and project groups. As a general practice, every class will devote the latter 30-45 minutes to small group time. During this time you will discuss weekly topics, establish tangible connections between class material and the drop-in center caseworking experience, discuss concerns and experiences within the Suitcase Clinic, and work on group projects. These group projects further assist the population served by the Suitcase Clinic in a variety of ways. Students will specify their small group preferences on their application, ranking them from #1-6, with #1 being your most preferred. If you would like more information, or have any questions regarding any of the group projects, please contact the facilitators who are connected to the individual projects before you submit your application. Keep in mind that these are your projects, so they are all very flexible in meeting the ingenuity and unique composition of your small group.

Supply Drive

Swetha Madhusudan (swetha_ms@berkeley.edu)

Angela Nguyen (minhtu@berkeley.edu)

The supply drive group aims to collect necessary items for the General Clinic’s Health Education division, such as hygiene supplies, toiletries, clothing, etc. We have done this in the past by approaching the Berkeley community in local residential neighborhoods and churches, as well as our peers in campus dormitories, co-ops, Greek houses, classrooms, and other student groups. While these endeavors have been conducted very successfully in the past as group and individual projects, we are open to experimenting with new ideas for obtaining more supplies, and we encourage your input! Additionally, this group will play an important part in this semester’s fundraising event. An ideal member of this small group is someone who is outgoing, enthusiastic, organized, responsible, and has proactive ideas. We encourage students who have access to cars to prioritize this small group, as adequate transportation forms an essential component of our group project. Members of the Supply Drive small group will be required to volunteer at the General Clinic three times throughout the semester and expect a time commitment on certain weekends.

Dinners

Simon Ermakov (Sermakov01@berkeley.edu)

Addie Cuneo (iamsomaverick@gmail.com)

This group will be coordinating monthly themed dinners for the clients at General Clinic, providing one of the most popular services offered there. A large component of the small group's project will be petitioning for donations of food. This involves contacting managers and forming partnerships with local businesses and restaurants. The goal is to successfully host five dinners over the course of the spring semester. In order to popularize the dinners, outreach efforts in the local community will be enacted an hour or two before the dinners begin, so be sure that your Tuesday's are free from 5:00-9:30. 

Women’s Clinic

Alicia Zhou (blueberryscone@gmail.com)

Victoria Ryan (vryan@berkeley.edu)

The women's clinic small group will continue to work closely with the Wellness Initiative, which began in the summer of 2007 as a pilot program aimed at client expression and mental health.  Along with ongoing collaboration with groups such as Cal Slam! and The Movement, the small group will continue to add new workshops based on an assessment of client needs.  The main project of the semester will be a client expression book: a compilation of client recipes, poetry, illustrations, and life stories.  Small group members will meet routinely with clients contributing to the project and offer advice and creative assistance for the project's completion. Members will also help present it at the semester's end. Our hope is to set a precedent that will tangibly illustrate the diversity of its present and future clients.

Youth Clinic

Joy Yang (ode2joy2theworld@yahoo.com)

Preeya Desai (preeyadesai@berkeley.edu)

The Youth Clinic is the newest drop-in center of the Suitcase Clinic. It caters, literally, to the younger homeless population. Every Monday, volunteers cook, then chow down with the clients. In addition to medical, legal, foot washing, and dinner, there are usually board games, yoga, and plenty of interesting stories. The Youth Clinic is much more laid back and flexible than the other clinics. Case working mainly involves dinner conversations. This semester, the Youth small group will be focused on organizing activities for clinic and special events with festive food approximately once a month. Attendance during clinic will be strongly emphasized.

Survey

Tanvir Kapoor (tanvir.kapoor@gmail.com)

The Survey Small Group is dedicated to improving Suitcase Clinic through data-driven change. This semester, our goal is to enhance Suitcase Clinic’s diversity, broadly defined. To do this, we will conduct a research project that measures the diversity of Suitcase Clinic and determines how that diversity is shaped by the way we recruit. We will record our findings, and subsequent recommendations, in a report to be presented to the class and the Suitcase Clinic Planning Committee. No previous research experience is required; we'll train you in everything you need to know. Check out www.suitcasesurvey08.pbwiki.com for a copy of the small group syllabus.

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Unity

Andrew Jan (jandrew@berkeley.edu)

DJ Freitas (dfreitas@berkeley.edu)

The Unity small group was recently enacted in order to promote a more social atmosphere: increasing officer moral and volunteer retention. Throughout the semester we will work to create a stronger foundation in order to make the full potential of the suitcase clinic a reality. In order to accomplish these goals each member of this group will be responsible for planning a social event to allow for your fellow volunteers to get to know one another. Each member will also be held accountable for shadowing a current officer and creating a panel to inform the class of vacant positions. Finally the ultimate goal of this group, after having worked toward a more fun and effective organization, will be to propose new programs or improvements to current programs and write a mock grant in order to fund them.