Four doctors from Tecumseh are trying to remove healthcare barriers for the homeless.
They visited Street Help and the Windsor Youth Centre in Windsor this week. Co-founder of the Windsor Youth Centre, Tamara Kowalska, says this is a follow-up visit based on the overwhelming response from a similiar outreach made in December.
"These doctors are recognizing that they need to go where the people are who need help," says Kowalska.
Kowalska adds there are many barriers that prevent the homeless from receiving proper health care such as the expense of updating a health card and transportation to the hospital .
"Transportation is crucial and it is very important that we have health care providers throughout the city that can be available to our vulnerable population," says Kowalska.
Many of the homeless population in Windsor are youth who tend to suffer from mental illness due to trauma or abuse. Kowalska says that health related issues or an untreated illness can lead to a downward spiral, and youth who are already trying to get their basic needs met are not being tested for their illness. The possibility of them having even their daily needs met becomes worse and worse.
The doctors hope to hold more outreach programs in the future.