Southwest PA Area Health Education Center

The Southwest PA Area Health Education Center strives to bridge community and academic resources to improve the health of marginalized people living in underserved areas. At the heart of this mission is collaboration and developing innovative, multi-disciplinary responses to meet the individual and public health needs of people and community.

So much of what we are able to do is based on community collaborations and partnerships. For instance, in partnership with Birmingham Free Clinic, we recently developed and are now offering an integrated behavioral health clinic for those who rely on Birmingham Clinic for their medical care.

Approximately 40% of Birmingham patients are homeless, as determined by federal McKinney Act criteria. These people include individuals who are in shelter facilities, residential alcohol and other drug treatment programs, street homeless, previously incarcerated, and doubled-up. While the remaining patients report having housing, most are working poor, with over 69% having incomes at or below the federal poverty level. Of this group, over 80% report no income whatsoever. These latter individuals are at increased risk for homelessness because of low socioeconomic status, unemployment, or co-morbidities such as substance abuse, mental health conditions, or other social and behavioral risk factors.

Our goal through the integrated clinic is to address social determinants in conjunction with physical and mental health needs of patients at risk for or experiencing homelessness, through a more integrated clinic session that provides coordinated care from numerous Birmingham Free Clinic on-site providers. Second to this goal is the opportunity to train and mentor health science college students on whole-person health care while working with vulnerable populations.

Testimonials

Of a patient - "When we met I was not able to take care of myself, my dog, or my house. It's been long and I've not liked some of it [skilled nursing facility], but I'm glad to be here and glad to be walking again and able to take care of myself. I can go to the store again when I want. I miss my dog but that had to be. I'm grateful to you and the clinic for helping me get here and for checking in on me."

Of a volunteer pre-health college student - "To start, my time at Birmingham has been the largest influence on me during my undergraduate career. I have learned how to talk to patients effectively, became aware of the many issues on the social side of medicine, and learned many responsibilities as a volunteer. This experience has changed my focus on medicine entirely. I used to think that patients are only taken care of in the hospital to where the social side of their lives plays a far bigger role in their overall health."