Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine Bobcat Community Health Alliance
The Bobcat Community Health Alliance (BCHA) is a student-led initiative devoted to enhancing healthcare accessibility for underserved communities in Connecticut. Student volunteers work in teams to serve individuals who face a wide variety of barriers to healthcare access. These include people who are unhoused, uninsured or underinsured, experiencing financial hardship, or limited by language or transportation challenges.
Working to improve access to health care
BCHA engages in multiple forms of outreach, including the following:
- Street Medicine: Students partner with local street health programs to provide free medical care to the unhoused community. This includes diagnosis, treatment, health screening, referrals to resources and follow up care, and point of care lab testing.
- Health Screenings: Students, under the supervision of Quinnipiac faculty preceptors, provide health screenings at community sites such as warming centers, temporary shelters, and nutrition assistance programs. Services offered include vitals, point of care lab testing, health counseling, referrals to resources and follow up care, and hygiene kit distribution.
- Community Health Education: Students meet regularly with residents at a low-income senior living community (Beacon Communities) to promote health education, build relationships with residents, provide health screenings, and lower barriers to healthcare access.
Our Volunteers In Action
BCHA volunteer Paulina Naser-Saravia using our on-site lab screening tool.
BCHA volunteers Paulina Naser-Saravia and Eric Smith demonstrating usage of our on-site lab screening tool.
Frank H. Netter School of Medicine students volunteer their time performing health assessments while running a street health clinic, partnering with Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK).
BCHA volunteers Demitrios Master and Chris Baldwin preparing hygiene kits.
BCHA volunteer Neha Pashankar preparing hygiene kits.
Contact Us
For more information, contact:
Siri Bohacek
BCHA Executive Director
siri.bohacek@qu.edu
Kendall Mantoani
BCHA Director of Operations
kendall.mantoani@qu.edu
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