A Healing Touch for the Homeless
Homelessness and health problems nearly always go hand in hand. The homeless are exposed to harsh elements, disease, violence, lack of sanitation, malnutrition, and addiction. According to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the rates of serious illnesses and injuries in the homeless population are three to six times the rates of these problems for other people.
Here at Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County, we believe that healthcare plays a significant role in helping people transition out of homelessness and back into their communities.
HEALING SHEPHERD CLINIC
UGM-TC opened Healing Shepherd Clinic in collaboration with the Nancy and John Snyder Foundation and Empowering Church Healthcare Outreach in late 2008 to offer free healthcare to the over 4,000 homeless individuals in Tarrant County. As a subsidiary of UGM-TC, the clinic resides in a specially designed space across the street from the Mission. Volunteer doctors and nurses, along with a full-time nurse practitioner, provide:
- complete physical examinations
- treatment of acute and chronic conditions
- prescription medications
- referrals for diagnostic tests
- referrals for specialty care
- patient education
- patient advocacy
HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIPS
Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County also partners with the following local organizations to provide education, preventative care, and medical treatment to homeless individuals in a climate of compassion and dignity:
- John Peter Smith Health Services provides monthly health education classes for residents, along with annual dental screenings.
- Cook Children’s Hospital provides examinations, inoculations, and well-baby visits to children at the Mission.
- AIDS Outreach Center provides HIV prevention education, and assists HIV positive residents at UGM-TC by assessing services to address their medical needs.
