CSUSB Palm Desert Campus Receives $100K Grant To Expand Nursing Program

PALM DESERT, CA — California State University, San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus has received a $100,000 grant to expand its nursing program that provides healthcare to underserved populations in the Coachella Valley, it was announced Tuesday.

The Houston Family Foundation awarded the funding to the campus' Nursing Street Medicine Program, which officials said will allow the program to serve 700 people, make 1,200 patient contacts, launch three new clinics and train 35 nursing students each year in street-based care.

Founded in 2019, the program partners with local organizations to deliver free services such as wound care, foot soaks, health assessments, preventative care and education at encampments, shelters and other sites across the valley.

"This funding strengthens our ability to bring essential healthcare directly to people, while empowering our nursing students to practice compassion and community service at the heart of their education," Diane Vines, department of nursing instructor, said in a statement.

Edna Martinez, associate vice president and administrator in charge of the Palm Desert campus, said the program "embodies the mission of the CSUSB Palm Desert campus -- to serve the community through education, compassion and innovation."