Doctors Without Walls is an independent non-profit organization started in 2005 and based in Santa Barbara California. We are in the process of finalizing our 501c3 status, forming our board, securing funding, establishing medical malpractice insurance for all of our volunteer doctors and planning ongoing and annual events.

Numerous local luminaries representing diverse organizations have joined DWW. Our members include leadership from the Santa Barbara County Medical Society, Direct Relief International, Cottage Health System’s internal medicine residency program and emergency room, Santa Barbara County Department of Public Health, the Saint Francis Foundation, Parish Nursing as well as numerous other independent organizations. This has been a powerful year of networking and collaboration building.

As DWW has grown, a University California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) student group has formed in association with us.

What does DWW actually DO?
DWW leads trains, supports and organizes interdisciplinary clinical teams that go into the field to provide needed treatment for the homeless and for the entire community in times of disaster or mass casualty.

DWW is leading street rounds in Isla Vista (the community neighboring UCSB)for the homeless every monday night. We are leading homeless shelter rounds at Casa Esperanza every Tuesday night. We are developing a hospital consult service. We are leading a training in Santa Barbara in street/field medicine at El Capitan Canyon Resort Nov 10-12, 2006. We are providing the volunteer physicians for the 2nd annual healthy neighbors shelter "health-in" Nov 13-15, 2006 at Casa Esperanza.

We are continuously looking for ways that we can improve the health of the Santa Barbara homeless community and to prepare for and provide needed medical services during times of mass casualty and disaster. We believe in the powers of interdisciplinary teams and in collaboration. We are committed to developing mechanisms for volunteer doctors to provide humanitarian medical services in their home communities.