A Bit About Us
The HEAL Omaha program exists to ensure that homeless, uninsured or otherwise vulnerable members of society retain access to quality medical and mental health care despite adverse financial or social circumstances. We do so outside the bounds of traditional healthcare settings, bringing care directly to the patient, and creating a force for social change that includes health equity as a basic human right.
Our Mission
The values of inclusivity, justice, equity and love guide the medical and mental health care delivered. The physical and mental healthcare administered by the providers, staff, and volunteers of HEAL is integral to the safety and well-being of our neighbors in need. We will address the unique psychosocial and health care needs of the homeless population, prevent unnecessary ED visits, and minimize health care expenditures. It is vital that we provide health and healing to the homeless population.
What is Street Medicine?
Street Medicine includes health and social services developed specifically to address the unique needs and circumstances of the unsheltered homeless and uninsured delivered directly to them in their own environment. The fundamental approach of Street Medicine is to engage people experiencing homelessness exactly where they are and on their own terms to maximally reduce or eliminate barriers to care access and follow-through. Visiting people where they live – in alleyways, under bridges, or within urban encampments – is a necessary strategy to facilitate trust-building with this socially marginalized and highly vulnerable population. In this way, Street Medicine is the first essential step in achieving higher levels of medical, mental health, and social care through assertive, coordinated, and collaborative care management.