A 33-year old homeless female was bit by a stray dog and sustained deep muscular wounds in her lower extremity and hand which required assessment and cleansing.She received treatment for potential rabies, but could not get back to the hospital for her second round of injections. She appeared to be at risk of losing her hand due to impaired circulation. TRM outreach workers have been working very hard to find emergency housing for her and her male partner due to her inability to walk secondary to the injury sustained. They remain vigilant in following up on her weekly.
TRM provided an excellent presentation to Tacoma Community College Human Services students on the many services and resources they provide to our vulnerable neighbors.
GOOD NEWS: THERE ARE SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE
I reached out to Brett Feldman, a PA-C and director of street outreach in LA. This medical director has been providing street outreach medical care since 2007 and this medical care has now been included as a medical benefit in MediCal medical insurance.
See here for one of his webinars: https://nhchc.org/webinars/promoting-safety-in-street-outreach/
He has also provided a clinical tool for taking a history on an unsheltered homeless patient:
I have invited Brett to present at a Medical Respite Steering Committee at a later date. He supports all our efforts and affirmed that this is how they started in LA and now they are able to connect and consult with many other providers in the healthcare community and even get reimbursed for services!
Tacoma Rescue Mission and Pierce County council members have vision on a new model that appears to be successful in Austin, Texas. I can vouch for this model first-hand because I visited Austin, Texas a year ago and walked the city, amazed at the lack of encampments and tents in such a big city. At the time, I was unaware of how a city that big could have little evidence of chronically homeless encampments anywhere.
I found out why when I watched the following video:
(https://thesubtimes.com/2022/10/18/a-community-of-hope-for-pierce-county/).
If you notice in the video, mobile loaves and fishes (https://mlf.org/) appear to be part of this solution and I shared the work of MLF a few months back. It appears their efforts are effective which is GREAT TO SEE!
There are other similar models that I have shared that work--the only barrier to solutions is a lack of faith that systems cannot be changed!
Your prayers ARE working; please continue to keep our county officials, TRM and anyone else helping towards solutions in your prayers. They ARE WORKING!
Thanks to all of you who are "unsung heroes" in the background--your efforts are NOT wasted and the LORD bless and keep you--He sees all you do--THANK YOU! Keep up the great work!!!
