Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
Operation Safety Net
Welcome
It is for God we serve the poor, not for thanks.Catherine McAuley, 1778-1841, founder of the Sisters of Mercy
Medical Outreach for the Homeless
Operation Saftey Net touches the lives of hundreds of men and women living on the streets in Pittsburgh year after year, providing them with access to health care -- and the dignity they were previously denied.
Conception of Operation Safety Net
In 1992, Dr. Jim Withers, an internal medicine physician, began providing medical care to the unsheltered homeless population directly on the streets of Pittsburgh. He partnered with formerly homeless individuals and, initially dressing as a homeless person, began to make nighttime street rounds in the alleys and under the bridges of the city. From this initial outreach service other clinical volunteers joined in and Operation Safety Net was born. Today, OSN is recognized as one of nations' first targeted full-time street medicine programs and continues to set the standard for this unique form of health care.
Our homeless clients have taught us how to best serve them in the context of their real lives. Through deep, personal connection with individuals, we are able to partner with them to find solutions.
One Bridge to the Next, a documentary that spotlights the emerging field of street medicine featuring Operation Safety Net.
Inspired by the one million people who live on America's streets, many of whom have no source of healthcare, the BeCause Foundation produced One Bridge to the Next. The film documents one doctor's efforts to make a difference.
View the film, One Bridge to the Next, at BeCauseFoundation.org »
