Traveling in a medical van to sites throughout San Francisco, the dedicated SOS team of doctors, nurses, outreach workers, and volunteers creates “clinics without walls,” at soup kitchens, on city streets, in parks, and if the need arises — and it has — under freeway overpasses. In other words, anywhere homeless San Franciscans can be found, the SOS team finds itself.

At these sites, the team provides critically needed preventive and urgent health care services; distributes hygiene and health supplies; helps people to complete applications for benefits; and refers clients to citywide clinics for more extensive care — assisting with transportation to be sure they get there. They also connect clients to an array of social services, and guide them to gain access to these programs. SOS also provides vitamins, condoms, clothes, as well as information regarding various resources, including drug detoxification and rehabilitation programs, housing, and medical and social services.

SOS provides services to low-income people who are experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness. Clients include veterans, immigrants, sex workers, and vehicularly housed individuals, as well as people suffering from mental illness and drug addiction disorders. SOS provides a variety of medical and social services free of charge. Many acute health problems are treated on site, while those patients requiring more extensive care are given appointments in community clinics or are referred to S.F. General Hospital.

Making “house calls” to people who have no home to call their own indicates just how far SFCCC, with its ten partner clinics, will go to fulfill its mission to ensure that all San Franciscans have access to health care.

Started in 1982, SFCCC provides programs and services that preserve and promote the longstanding tradition of community health care that began with our first partner. Each of them made vision a reality by starting neighborhood clinics — “medical homes” to serve those who had fallen through the cracks of the health care system. A safe, welcoming place where people are valued, respected and, most importantly, understood. SOS draws from that same tradition.

SOS utilizes every avenue to reach its homeless clients, many of who have companion animals. In 2001, SOS began an innovative project called Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS). Based on an idea from a former SOS client, the SOS program partnered with a volunteer veterinarian to begin offering care to homeless animals, as a way to reach out to homeless San Franciscans. This pilot project has been very successful in getting our clients linked to health and other social services — the first step to turning their lives around. Research confirms our findings of the importance of the human-animal bond, as a road to healing.

It is respect and understanding that is key to the success of SOS. By going directly to homeless people — meeting them on their own turf and terms, in their neighborhoods — the SOS team builds a relationship of trust, and breaks down the barriers that keep them from the care they so greatly need.

SOS is funded by a combination of federal and private sources, and is operated by SFCCC in collaboration with its partner clinics.

SFCCC Partner Clinics

1. Curry Senior Center
2. Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic
3. Lyon-Martin Women's Health Services
4. Mission Neighborhood Health Center
5. Native American Health Center
6. North East Medical Services
7. St. Anthony Free Medical Clinic
8. San Francisco Free Clinic
9. South of Market Health Center
10. Glide Health Center

Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS)

Street Outreach Services (SOS) is the mobile outreach component of SFCCC’s Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) program. Since 1988, SOS has provided high quality, non-judgmental health services directly to homeless people in places where they live and congregate.

VET SOS is a project of Street Outreach Services. SOS utilizes every avenue to reach its homeless clients, many of who have companion animals. Based on an idea from a former SOS client, the SOS program partnered with a volunteer veterinarian in 2001 to begin offering care to homeless animals, as a way to reach out to homeless San Franciscans. This pilot project has been very successful in getting our clients linked to health and other social services — the first step to turning their lives around. Research confirms our findings of the importance of the human-animal bond, as a road to healing.

This innovative outreach project addresses the unique problems of homeless individuals with companion animals. Services are provided by volunteer veterinarians and veterinary technicians, through the use of a specially-equipped mobile outreach van. VET SOS provides veterinary physical exams, basic medical procedures, vaccinations, referrals, and transportation for free spay/neuter surgery, and dispenses information about service animals in rental housing and responsible pet ownership.

VET SOS visits the Bayview-Hunter's Point, China Basin, and Castro/Mission neighborhoods on the second Friday of each month. In addition, the project provides its services at San Francisco's six annual Project Homeless Connect events in the Civic Center, and participates in the annual Thanksgiving dinner for homeless people with companion animals.

VET SOS carries vaccinations, medications, medical charts, animal food, leashes, collars, halters, and other necessary supplies that are dispensed, on-site, by a volunteer staff that includes one veterinarian, one vet tech, and an animal assistant. When possible, an animal behaviorist joins this team. In addition to providing physical exams, basic medical procedures and vaccinations, the team also provides health education and responsible pet ownership education, as well as referrals and transportation for free spay/neuter surgery.

VET SOS promotes prevention, as well as intervention. VET SOS requires that pet owners spay and neuter their companion animals through the donated services of a partner agency in order to continue receiving services.

Clients can make specific appointments to receive the outreach services by calling the VET SOS hotline at 415-355-2248. In addition, they can call the hotline between visits, when problems arise with their companion animals. VET SOS is not currently designed to handle a continuous flow of animal emergencies. However, urgent calls to the hotline are triaged twice per week by the VET SOS team, who then distribute information and resources to homeless clients, as needed. Clients are referred to partner agencies on many occasions, for further support.

VET SOS Partners

Through the leadership of the SFCCC's SOS program, the VET SOS project brings together five highly respected and effective animal welfare organizations to participate in this project: San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SFSPCA). The San Francisco SPCA provides VET SOS with free spay/neuter services for animals under six years of age, pet food, free short-term boarding after-spay/neuter surgery, and no-interest payment arrangements for advanced or urgent-care, provided through its community veterinary practice.

San Francisco Animal Care and Control provides VET SOS with free micro-chipping clinics through "Friends of AC&C," donates free DHLPP, FVRCP, and rabies vaccines, maintains a donation bin for supplies and pet food in their lobby, collaborates with VET SOS to reduce fees and prevent over-vaccination of animals by obtaining up-to-date patient records when impounded, and in special circumstances, provides emergency boarding for up to 14 days.

Pets are Wonderful Support (PAWS) provides VET SOS with storage space and supplemental supplies of pet food and accessories to VET SOS and enrolls eligible clients for additional PAWS services, such as: discounted preventative and emergency vet care, emergency foster care, and PAWS also provides VET SOS clients free information on safe pet guidelines for immune-compromised pet owners and their physicians, and counseling and advocacy in regard to animal rights.

Pets Unlimited provided VET SOS with $1,000 in seed money in 2001 to launch this unique outreach program and it continues to promote and support VET SOS's high quality, effective services. Pets Unlimited also provides free and discounted veterinary care to clients who are referred by VET SOS. San Francisco Veterinary Medical Association promotes VET SOS to its members who, in turn, volunteer their services as veterinarians and veterinary technicians.