We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jaynell Assmann a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jaynell thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

When I first started the organization I was working a full-time job as a Trauma Nurse Practitioner, a part-time job in a safety net clinic and starting the street medicine organization in Kansas City. I did not intend it to grow so quickly and become a full-time job for me, but had to make sure we had all the elements in place for patient safety as well as meeting regulatory guidelines. I did a lot of research on the front end and felt I was prepared, I do not think you are ever fully prepared. One of the biggest things I learned, particularly in this line of practice, you have to be prepared to give 250% at all times, many times when I was getting ready to start the organization and when I first started, people would say it was awesome and they wanted to help but sometimes committing to volunteering when you are already working 40+ hours a week in medicine is tough. It takes a lot of dedication, grace and understanding and hours of work. We take care of a patient population that is used to disappointment, it is imperative that if we say we are going to be somewhere, then we are there, even if that means other volunteers have had to cancel, it is up to me to make sure we are there.

Jaynell, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Care Beyond the Boulevard is an independent non-profit that provides healthcare to those experiencing homelessness and poverty in the Greater Kansas City metro area. CBB started when I was volunteering every Monday night at Micah Ministries in the Northeast area of Kansas City, Missouri. During this time volunteering, serving food to the homeless and underserved, I realized there was a vast lack in healthcare to the “guests” frequenting Micah ministries for food and clothing every Monday evening. I decided to open a clinic in conjunction with Micah Ministries to help fill the gap in health and health education. While doing research on starting free clinics, I discovered the International Street Medicine movement and quickly decided that the organization would focus on those experiencing homelessness. I firmly believe we all deserve compassionate, competent healthcare and as healthcare provider, I recognize that there are patients who have countless barriers to traditional healthcare, thus the recognization of the need to go to the people who are lacking in the ability or the consistency to conform to traditional healthcare organizations.
I am really proud of the volunteers who step up every single day. Care Beyond the Boulevard has over 200 volunteers who believe that healthcare is a human right and taking healthcare to the streets helps to bridge gaps in care, making people who are often overlooked and forgotten by multiple systems realize there are people who care about them and recognize their worth.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Consistency, honesty and integrity.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I would have become a Nurse Practitioner sooner. I have been a nurse for over 30 years, and a NP for 7. I have always loved being a nurse and did not feel the “need” to further my education. I realize that I truly love being an NP and I feel that I am exactly where I want to be professionally.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.carebeyondtheboulevard.org
• Instagram: Carebeyondtheboulevard
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carebeyondtheboulevard
• Linkedin: Jaynell Assmann
• Twitter: Care Beyond the Blvd @CBBStreetMed