| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.30 |
| Liaison | Stephen Ellis |
| Submission Date | May 31, 2024 |
Boston University
IN-48: Innovation B
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Gabrielle
Brewer Sustainability Analyst BU Sustainability |
Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:
The Outreach Van Project (OVP) at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine was founded in January 1997 by several students at BUSM and the School of Public Health under the guidance of an advisory board and aid from several BU affiliated community agencies. OVP is currently the only outreach agency serving the underserved community in East Boston. OVP provides reliable and consistent care to the underserved, predominately Hispanic community of East Boston, where 20% of the population and 25% of the children live below the poverty line. Roughly half of their clients are Central American immigrants, including largely women and children, who speak solely Spanish and are not aware of the supportive services available to them. Many of their other clients suffer from addiction issues and mental illness, and they aim to encourage them to seek treatment, as well as provide information on obtaining housing. The needs of their clientele are addressed by medical students accompanied by a licensed physician. They also integrate basic medical screening, including blood pressure and glucose checks, as well as administer flu shots, to further provide services to our clients. Their three goals are to provide basic necessities, including dry food, clothing, toiletries, and a warm meal weekly to their East Boston clientele; to make concerted efforts to connect the underserved to primary care and other community services such as shelters and detox programs by providing physician referrals; and to present students the opportunity to work closely with the underserved.
In FY2023, in line with their goals, the OVP offered free food, toiletries, and clothing every Thursday at 7 pm outside of Pollo Campero in East Boston, after interruption during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Along with their weekly outreach to East Boston, the OVP hosts an annual Harm Reduction event at the Boston University Medical Campus every December. Recent Updates can be found on the OVP Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/buovp/
Optional Fields
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
This represents FY2023 BU Metrics.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.