Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
Operation Safety Net
Events
Stand Down 2010: A free, one-day service fair for homeless veterans and their families
Saturday, August 21, 2010 , from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location:
Shepherd's Heart, 13 Pride St., Uptown (Pittsburgh, PA 15219)
"Stand down" is a military phrase which is used to describe fresh troops taking care of exhausted combat troops by moving them from the battlefield to an environment that is safe and secure. Depleted combat soldiers are given medical attention, food, the opportunity to shower, clean clothing, and the chance to rest , recuperate, and tae part in fellowship.
Similarly, on Saturday, August 21, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Shepherd's Heart, 13 Pride St., Uptown (Pittsburgh, PA 15219), the Pittsburgh community will come together to host Stand Down 2010, an intensive service fair for homeless veterans and their families. The event is designed to offer a one-day respite from the streets and an opportunity for individuals to receive services and put their lives back together.
Services available at Stand Down 2010 will include:
- Housing assistance
- Veterans' benefits
- Medical care
- Eye exams and eye glasses
- Dental care
- Podiatry (foot) care
- Food
- Legal services
- Social services
- Job search support
- Showers
- Haircuts
- Rest & relaxation
Sponsoring organizations include:
- Veterans Leadership Program
- Shepherd's Heart Fellowship
- Operation Safety Net, part of the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System
- Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
- CareerLink
- VA Healthcare for Homeless Veterans
- Allegheny County Department of Human Services
- Disabled American Veterans
Rich Venezia, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, and Gary Glacken, VA Healthcare for Homeless Veterans serve as event co-chairs.
For information and sponsorship opportunities, call the Veterans Leadership Program at 412.481.8200.
International Street Medicine Symposium VI
1 p.m. Wednesday, October 20 to 11 a.m., Saturday, October 23, 2010
Location:
Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens, 120 S. Los Angeles St., California 90012, USA
Operation Safety Net, part of the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, will host the International Street Medicine Symposium VI October 20-23, 2010 at the Los Angeles, California. Now in its sixth year, the symposium was established by Dr. Jim Withers, founder and medical director, and Linda Sheets, program director, Operation Safety Net, an innovative, award-winning medical outreach program for individuals who are homeless.
The symposium provides an annual forum for health and social services providers and interested members of the community who minister to the needs of individuals who are homeless with the opportunity to meet with their peers from around the globe and to share best practices for meeting the needs of the under-resourced homeless population. In addition, participants will tour Skid Row and the Bell and Santa Monica shelters.
Featured topics will include:
- Socio-ecological determinants of health (housing, shelter-related issues, environmental threats, community systems, advocacy
- Acute disease/condition diagnosis and management
- Chronic disease management
- Co-morbidities (mental health and substance abuse, for example)
Abstracts will be accepted until June 30, 2010. (Contact: LSheets@mercy.pmhs.org).
International Street Medicine Symposium VI is presented by Operation Safety Net. The symposium is made possible by a grant from GlaxoSmithKline. Additional financial support is provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Catholic Health East.
For more information about the symposium or to obtain a copy of the symposium registration form, contact LSheets@mercy.pmhs.org or call 412.232.5739.
Hotel registration has opened with a discounted room rate of $110 per night per room, plus tax (single or double occupancy). To reserve a room, visit https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=20154&Chain=5388&arrive=10/20/2010&depart=10/22/2010&adult=1&child=0&group=MEDICINE or call 888.354.0831 and reference the International Street Medicine Symposium.
