Operation Safety Net Explained
Operation Safety Net (OSN) is a Street Medicine program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and one of the nation's first full-time street-based delivery medical systems.[1] OSN was founded in 1992 [2] when Dr. Jim Withers [3] and Mike Sallows began to make field visits to the homeless in Pittsburgh.[4] In time, other formerly homeless outreach workers and medical volunteers joined the effort. In 1993, OSN became a nonprofit organization under the Pittsburgh Mercy Health System with Linda Sheets as the program administrator.[5]
Operation Safety Net visits the homeless through walking teams medical outreach staff. Most of OSN's work force are volunteers. Withers was one of the ten recipients out of the 463 nominees of the $120,000 by the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program in 2002 and $105,000 of which was allocated to OSN.[6]
External links
Notes and References
- Umar, Kauthar B. MA. “Health Care Headaches: Accessing Safety Net Services,” HHS Office of Minority Health Closing The Gap, August 2003.
- Web site: Man Who Founded Operation Safety Net is One of CNN's Top 10 Heroes of 2015. CBS Local. October 9, 2015. December 9, 2020.
- Fahy, Joe. “Doctors meeting here to consider street peoples’ needs,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Monday, October 10, 2005.
- Malloy, Michael G. “Pittsburgh’s Operation Safety Net Is Making a Difference to the Underserved,” AAMC Reporter, March, 2003.
- Web site: Lee, Madasyn. Operation Safety Net opening winter shelters for Allegheny County's homeless population. Trib Live. November 11, 2020. December 9, 2020.
- Srikameswaran, Anita. “‘Street doc’ honored for work with homeless,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Thursday, August 15, 2002.
