Portland Street Medicine

Mission

Portland Street Medicine improves the health and wellbeing of our houseless community members through relationship, trust, and care. 

Bottom Line for Portland

Our clinic is in the streets, wherever and whenever people are congregating and living unsheltered. We deliver high quality reliable care and build trust through empathy and relationships.  

As the only provider of street medicine in Portland, our collaborative teams of doctors, nurses, and peers bring health care and resources directly to people surviving outside, where and when they need it most. In 2024 we’ll make over 6,000 care engagements with the houseless community, from simple blood pressure checks to vaccination clinics, we’ll be out on the streets providing lifesaving care to our houseless neighbors. 

Quote

"I get the honor every day to interact and build relationships with people living on the street to support them in accessing trauma-informed care and resources they both want and deserve. I'm very lucky to be able to get to know each person individually and approach their needs in whatever feels best for them, while empowering and centering autonomy. This is my passion and my whole heart." 

~Mads Inama, Peer Resource Navigator

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At PSM, we work at the intersection of health care and homelessness where white supremacy and profit-driven health and housing markets have harmed BIPOC communities for generations. Today we are critically challenging how racism, poverty, ableism and other oppressions function in medical and social service institutions. Practicing street medicine means reimagining what care can look like and holding one another accountable to co-creating a community where everyone experiences dignity, safety, belonging and justice.  

Our equity work involves providing resources and trainings for staff and volunteers aimed at growing their knowledge and awareness to identify, and to interrupt harmful actions and dynamics related to racism, oppression and power. Core to our care model is the understanding that there is knowledge and wisdom that comes from lived experience. We are always learning from our community members who have lived experiences of homelessness, substance use, and medical trauma. 

Incentives

We’ve partnered with three of our favorite local businesses who share our values and support our work to offer you a chance to win on these giveaway days:  

Tuesday 11/1 G!G Launch: If you’re the 5th person to donate $50 or more to PSM you’ll win a $25 gift card to Worn Path, our favorite local outdoor outfitter! It’s also a BIG GIVE DAY! Donate $10 or more and G!G will enter you into a raffle for a one-night stay at a luxury resort on the coast or in Redmond, Oregon.  

Wednesday 11/15 Taste of Portland Giveaway: It’s always a great day for a tasty sandwich from Snappy’s! The first 20 donors who give $20 or more to PSM will receive a $20 Snappy’s gift card. It's also a BIG GIVE DAY! Donate $10 or more and G!G will enter you into a raffle to win one of four gift cards to one of four iconic Portland restaurants.  

Tuesday 12/20 Bookworm Double Prize Giveaway: Calling all bookworms! The 5th donor to give $50 or more to PSM will win a $100 Broadway Books gift card! To double down on your bookish luck, if you donate $10 or more G!G will enter you to win one of two $500 Powell’s gift cards.

Partner(s)

Community Partner spotlight! PSM wants to highlight the power of community and relationships by partnering with one of our favorite organizations: Street Roots! Street Roots is a trusted resource for many of our patients, offering a place for belonging and connection. Over 200 folks make their livelihood selling Street Roots newspaper every single week. Their mission is to create income opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and poverty by producing a newspaper and other media that are catalysts for individual and social change. To support their work, follow this link! 

Special thank you to our business partners! PSM loves being in community with you! 

Worn Path: An independently owned Portland and value-based shop that sells outdoor, skate and wellbeing supplies, check them out by following the link! 

Snappy’s: Is your local sandwich shop over on SE Ankney. These sandos are fresh, loaded and oh so good! 

Broadway Books: Have been serving NE Portland as their small independent neighborhood bookstore for 31 years! Offering not just new and used books but puzzles, games and special events too!