The city of Palm Desert has declared Aug. 24 as “Dr. Diane Vines Day” to honor CSUSB nursing instructor Diane Vines for her leadership and service to the community.

Vines was honored by the city of Palm Desert at a City Council meeting on Aug. 24.

According to the proclamation, “Dr. Vines’ leadership will have positive ripples of influence in the delivery of medical services and caregiving offered by her students for years to come.”

Vines has only been teaching at Cal State San Bernardino’s Palm Desert Campus for seven years, but has a lifetime of experience both inside and outside the classroom, and has been working to help people of all populations for decades.

Besides teaching multiple nursing courses at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, Vines is also the director of the CSUSB Nursing Street Medicine program, which she helped create in 2018.

The Nursing Street Medicine program increases access to healthcare through nurse clinics and other outreach programs with the goal of improving the well-being of people, providing preventive services, treating chronic diseases/medication management, in addition to making referrals for follow-up care. With access to the nurse clinics, the program aims to decrease emergency room visits and the impact on acute care facilities.

The team delivers a valuable service at no cost to those most economically in need of basic necessities. They also increase the number of registered nurses in the valley who have experience engaging vulnerable populations. As collaborative partners in the community, the Department of Nursing at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus is creating and contributing to an educated healthcare workforce.

The program has proven to be very successful in the Coachella Valley and is now being replicated in the San Bernardino area, with nursing students at both CSUSB campuses participating.

“It’s been my pleasure to serve in street medicine since I’ve been in the desert and I’m very proud of Palm Desert,” said Vines. “The services here that we provide and the care for the homeless is really remarkable.”

Vines also serves as the chair of the City of Palm Desert Homelessness Task Force, which advises the city council on various services and coordinated efforts to address homelessness.

Vines received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University, a master’s degree in community mental health nursing from New York University and a doctorate degree in sociology from Boston University, and has obtained multiple certifications in public health nursing and mental health nursing. She has also received numerous awards and honors throughout her distinguished career.

About PDC: The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a doctorate in educational leadership, teaching credentials and certificates. Serving more than 2,200 students, it is the Coachella Valley’s four-year public university and plays a vital role in educating and training the region’s growing population.

For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the Office of Strategic Communication at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the PDC website at www.csusb.edu/pdc.