LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Clark County has thousands of homeless men, women and children, and while housing plays a huge role, experts argue access to care may play an even bigger one.
As the number of medical professionals shrink, the at-risk community is often last in line. That’s why one local school is training medical students on how to care for the homeless.
Simulation teaches real-world challenges
This week, medical students at Touro University Nevada participated in a simulation where they were given a budget at or below the poverty level, then tasked with navigating how to access care while balancing life’s expenses.
“Your goal is to keep your home secure and feed your family on a regular basis,” instructors told students as they listened closely to the instructions. They were being tasked with accessing medical care while providing for a family on a fixed income at or below poverty level.
“We really want students to understand, regardless of their own background and their own lived experiences, that these are some of the challenges that our clients face,” said Shannon Martin, program director at Touro University Nevada.
The room full of future occupational therapists actively engaged in the simulation, navigating childcare, transportation, food and bills. The instructors emphasized that upon graduation they will be on the other side of healthcare.
“As occupational therapists, we really look at the client holistically and really try to understand that their environment impacts them,” Martin said.
Understanding the profession
Occupational therapists evaluate mental, physical and developmental disabilities to create personalized treatment plans.
“No matter what they are dealing with, no matter what barrier they are facing, we work with them as they are,” said Jessica Mendoza, an OT student at Touro University Nevada.
Nevada faces shortage
The profession is ideal for treating at-risk communities, but according to recent data, Nevada is facing a shortage.
“The amount of clients outseed the amount of therapists that are here in Southern Nevada. And oftentimes the biggest barrier is education,” Martin said.
The state has roughly 1,200 licensed occupational therapists with a population of 3.2 million residents, placing the population that needs services the most at the end of the line.
Students like Jessica and James, both in their final year of studies, say that’s a major reason why they chose the profession. The California natives say they plan to stay and work in Las Vegas.
“There’s a lot that OTs can offer to the community and that we really want to increase that number so that we are able to make a better impact on the communities we serve,” said James Tang, an OT student at Touro University Nevada.
Touro plans to graduate 25 occupational therapists this spring. While their numbers have maintained consistent, the occupation has steadily declined since 2016.
The shortage of occupational therapists also impacts other at-risk communities like children with autism or adults with developmental delays who often are placed on a waiting list before securing regular therapy services.
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