ABOUT SEATTLE STREET OUTREACH
BEING HOMELESS IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH!
The Facts
- Many of our unsheltered neighbors are reluctant to access existing health care options for a variety of logistical, social, and emotional barriers, leaving them vulnerable to poor health outcomes.
- Many people will seek care for their pet’s medical needs before those of their own.
- The January 25, 2020 Point-in-Time “Count Us In" found 11,751 individuals living unsheltered in Seattle/King County, WA. Experts estimate that 5-10% of individuals living unsheltered have pets.
- Sick pets can serve as a reservoir for zoonotic diseases, preventable with veterinary care.
- Healthy pets improve the emotional well-being of individuals who rely on them for companionship and emotional support.
- King County faces persistent hurdles that impede its goal of establishing a culture of health for the many individuals living unsheltered within our community.
Our Mission
To build bridges to better health for people and their pets living homeless in Puget Sound.
Our Solution
Capitalize on the human-animal bond to build trust between patients and providers, which will improve acceptance of healthcare interventions, first as a mobile option, and later, via supported transitions to community services. There are two main ways our outreach will work:
Seattle Street Outreach recognizes the importance of the love people share with their pets-it is apparent on the face of every pet and person that enters our clinic. It is our joy and honor to support these underserved and disenfranchised individuals by working as an interdisciplinary team to provide mobile medical care for humans and their pets, together. By linking these essential healthcare services and recognizing and honoring the connection people share with their pets, SSO becomes a trusted resource for pet owners in need. It is this bond of trust that allows us to become a partner walking by their side as they access community resources and support that benefits both people and pets.
- As a “side-by-side” support to the King County Med Van: Seattle Veterinary Outreach will coordinate clinic dates and times with the King County Med Van so that our veterinary outreach helps create some “buzz” and visibility for the Med-Van. On these days, only the veterinary outreach will be provided. Our human healthcare providers will not be present.
- As a “stand-alone clinic” providing healthcare for underserved humans and their pets out of the back of our refurbished ambulance, a nimble vehicle that can park in smaller spaces than the larger Med Van can access. Our team includes a Physician, a Veterinarian, a Registered Nurse, and a licensed Veterinary Technician. Care is delivered using a trauma-informed, patient-centric model and may include wound care, triage, and harm reduction.
Seattle Street Outreach recognizes the importance of the love people share with their pets-it is apparent on the face of every pet and person that enters our clinic. It is our joy and honor to support these underserved and disenfranchised individuals by working as an interdisciplinary team to provide mobile medical care for humans and their pets, together. By linking these essential healthcare services and recognizing and honoring the connection people share with their pets, SSO becomes a trusted resource for pet owners in need. It is this bond of trust that allows us to become a partner walking by their side as they access community resources and support that benefits both people and pets.