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a taste of inspiration
CREW ON THE MOVE:
Street outreach teams from Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net are out several nights a week, year-round, including winter. In winter, they help direct people who are experiencing homelessness to the Severe Weather Emergency Shelter at the Smithfield United Church of Christ, Downtown, and other vital programs.
HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH CARE – A FRESH PERSPECTIVE
By: Amanda Allis
So many of us hope to make a differ- ence in the world, but often fall short of that. Others succeed in such a way that it shakes the very ground that we stand on with its enormity. In 1992 when Dr. Jim Withers – an internal medicine doctor – set out to the streets of downtown Pittsburgh with nothing
more than a backpack of pharmaceutical samples, a previously homeless friend to help him navigate the streets, and a strong feeling that something needed to change, he took the first step in what would become one of those earth-shaking acts of selflessness. Backed by a mission-driven medical organization with deep roots in Pittsburgh that shared his philosophy that health care needed changes to a flawed system, they were able to work together to make the first steps toward that change.
Dr. Withers realized that the issues surrounding homelessness and the lack of access to not only shelter and other basic needs, but also to adequate medical care were so great that he needed to do something to rectify that. Albeit a risky endeavor, the need for change was so strong that he could not help but act. From that need and drive came Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net. As one can imagine, the project was at first met with some adversity due to its radical approach to medicine. It has now become the first of many “street medicine” programs in the world.
Dr. Withers – along with a handful of students and other medical professionals and with the support of Pittsburgh Mercy and their generous donors – is able to carry on his mission to help the homeless popula- tion of the city in detecting and treating many different types of ailments before they require emergency care. Their work has allowed for a new view of how health care has progressed and where change is still necessary as well as showing that there is a need to see value in each other even when there seems to be no hope.
A large part of the treatment and assistance to the homeless community is the ability to understand where their greatest needs lie and how to best serve them. The ability to create and maintain personal rela- tionships with a subset of people who have not always had the opportunity or ability to maintain such rela- tionships is also key in allowing Dr. Withers and his
WHILE ON STREET ROUNDS:
team to document either the progression of the illness or the process of healing.
Sharon Sumansky – director of Homeless Services at Pittsburgh Mercy - pointed out that there is an ability and creativity in the program that has allowed for the beginnings of a “system of wellness rather than one of sickness.” Along with medical care, the program offers guidance, education on medical issues, and a cold weather shelter.
As a part of this ever-growing project, a Severe Weather Emergency Shelter has been created that is open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., November 15, 2016-March 15, 2017, regardless of the outside temperature. This shelter is lo- cated downtown and provides a place to sleep, hot meal, shower, medical care, basic necessities, and other as- sistance. Through this and other pro- grams, they have been able to house over 1,400 people.
As with any outreach program, there is always a need for not only volunteers at the emergency shelter, but also of donations of everything ranging from items such as toiletries (shampoo, soap, razors, shaving cream, deodor- ant, etc.) to items that are necessary for housekeeping (towels, sheets, pillows, blankets, trash cans), and the ever-present need for donations of hot meals. They have also been fortunate enough to pair with many Pittsburgh restaurants to aid in their cause.
The work done by Operation Safety Net has made such an impact in Allegheny County that Dr. Withers has also created a nonprofit called the Street Medicine Institute which aides other communities in starting programs similar to Operation Safety Net. This orga- nization has grown to include dozens of organizations around the world.
For more information on this amazing program along with a comprehensive list of items needed or to vol- unteer, please visit www.pittsburghmercy.org. Also if you are a restaurant owner and would be interested in partnering with Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net please contact them through the same site.
Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net, Dr. Jim Withers, and Christopher Roach, outreach supervisor, offer Nikki a referral to Wellspring Drop-In Center while Lacey English, a visiting, second-year medical student from the University of North Carolina, looks on. Located in Uptown Pittsburgh, Wellspring Drop-In Center is a Pittsburgh Mercy program which serves people who are experiencing homelessness. Participants can receive a hot meal, shower, connect to supportive services, and participate in open art studios.
Foot disorders are common among people who are experiencing homelessness. Sometimes the issue is related to their often nomadic lifestyle;
other times, they result from complications from diabetes and exposure to the temperature extremes and harsh conditions.
FEET EXAM:
114
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