Our Services
Most of our services are free and covered by grants, so there is no barrier to treatment for unhoused and low-income folks. Some of our Hope on the Go Mobile Clinics ask for donations to pay for our treatment costs if not covered by grant or company money.
Hope on the Go Mobile Clinics
Acupuncture is our most utilized service. Our mobile clinics provide acupuncture and other health and wellness services in underserved, culturally diverse communities and high schools and colleges in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are also available to contract with businesses to offer their staff treatment for their well-being and overall health.
The Suitcase Clinic
United for Health staff founded the Youth Suitcase Clinic in 2000 along with UC Berkeley Cal Corps and ASUC student members. Our services target the 250-300 homeless youth who are living on the streets of Berkeley, ranging from ages 14-24. We offer the youth a safe, warm, youth-specific space and various services to help them move their lives forward and improve their overall health. At all three of the Suitcase Clinics; the General Coed Clinic, the Women’s, and the Youth Clinic unhoused youth and adults can get a healthy meal, food and laundry vouchers, full-body acupuncture, and herbal and nutritional therapy with the support of your donations. Volunteer doctors and medical students from the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program give primary medical care. Appointments and referrals for dental and optometry services are also made with some of our partner community health care providers.
Acupuncture Therapy
Acupuncture is the most utilized service we offer. It draws folks in with our treatment-on-demand model of care; where we can help them overcome problems such as emotional instability, chemical dependency, and other at-risk behaviors that may endanger their health and well-being. We also offer individual counseling, support groups, and help making medical appointments. Our acupuncture for addiction and mental health issues uses only a few points on your ears. Our full-body acupuncture treatments address all types of pain, suppressed immunity, mobility issues, or any health conditions that are treated by Western Medicine.
Nutrition & Counseling
Counseling is essential for our clients’ success in changing their lives and moving forward. Acupuncture treatments are 3 to 4 times more effective and successful when combined with traditional “talk-therapy” and support groups. United for Health’s one-on-one and group counseling covers health, nutrition, and lifestyle changes. This greatly enhances the client’s ability to heal and sustain well-being. Our staff includes peer health educators who can collaborate with school schedules, community partners, and other health care practitioners for client referrals and ongoing case management. This innovative approach – using Berkeley’s student volunteers as peer counselors – models the validity of sobriety and cessation and promotes the option of healing for several mental health and substance use problems.
Homeless Youth Services
The City of Berkeley is a frequent destination for disenfranchised and neglected youth, due to the city’s history of social activism and inclusiveness. However, few healthcare resources are accessed by homeless youth because of their reluctance to deal with bureaucratic intakes and rules of traditional institutions that offer adult services. We help connect our clients with City of Berkeley, Alameda County, and other community services by making appointments for them for optometry, dentistry, medical care, and legal & housing advice where available.
Youth Wellness Program
The Youth Wellness Program’s innovative approach helps at-risk youth sustain their sobriety by providing ongoing treatment that addresses relapse and needs for repeat intervention and care, besides addressing their physical pain and mental health issues. The combined use of acupuncture and nutritional therapy helps reduce depression, anxiety, and the cravings and withdrawal symptoms from alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. We work closely with administrators, teachers, students, and health practitioners at the high school and college level to expand Berkeley’s youth services. Hundreds of students have joined us as clients, counselors, and advocates.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture works by stimulating designated points on the body via the insertion of very fine needles. These points correspond with the functions of the brain, internal organs and other bodily processes as defined by the principles of Chinese medicine. The needles stimulate the blood and energy to flow, removing blockages that are causing pain or fatigue; hooking into a body wide system of pathways and meridians to start the healing process.
How often should you get acupuncture treatment?
Ear acupuncture can be done daily and the effects are stronger and longer lasting if done close together; which is very effective for mental health and substance use issues. Full-body acupuncture treatments for acute or chronic pain should be given from 1-3 times a week, depending on the severity of the symptoms to speed up the healing process. Usually 4-10 sessions are suggested for chronic conditions.
Does acupuncture hurt?
There’s just a slight pinch when the needle enters the skin similar to a fingernail. The needles are as thin as a hair, solid and flexible. There’s no tissue damage like the bleeding or bruising when you get a shot/IV. Treatment time is around 30 minutes because it takes a few minutes for the effects “to kick in”.
Are the United For Health treatments free?
Most of our services are free and covered by grants, so there is no barrier to treatment for unhoused and low-income folks. Some of our Hope on the Go Mobile Clinics ask for donations to pay for our treatment costs if not covered by grant or company money.
Can we schedule a Hope on the Go Mobile Clinic visit as a school, non-profit, church, or company?
Yes! We work with many nonprofits and local businesses/companies to provide care on a one-time or recurring basis. Please contact us to schedule a consultation.
Help Us Expand Healthcare Services
United for Health depends on funding from foundations, corporations, local businesses, and caring people like you to sustain our wellness services; helping those in need to move their lives forward.
A gift to UFH goes a long way and the results are immediate to our patients’ health and well-being. 100% of your donation will be directed toward treatment and support services.