TBSM Humanities - A Brief History

In 2012, the Tampa-St. Petersburg area was known to have the highest homelessness rate in the country. According to a report by the National Alliance to End Homelessness from that same year, for every 10,000 residents, 57 individuals were homeless [1]. Since then, Tampa organizations have mobilized to provide innovative solutions to reduce the rate of homelessness in Hillsborough County. Students at USF launched Tampa Bay Street Medicine (TBSM) in 2017, in the midst of this movement to reinvest in the local community.

While homelessness has decreased every year since the National Alliance report was published -- the 2017 census counted 1,549 homeless individuals, compared to a total of 2,275 in 2012 [2, 3] -- the importance of TBSM’s initiative remains. Fifteen percent of the Tampa homeless community are chronically unsheltered and receive little to no medical care. Through street and mobile van runs, and a free clinic in downtown Tampa, TBSM aims to provide homeless individuals with the care they need and thereby reduce community costs by addressing these individuals’ health concerns before they escalate. Through our medical and social work outreach and research, we advocate for our patients and for improved healthcare equality in Tampa.

TBSM Humanities is an initiative to provide students, providers, and patients affiliated with TBSM opportunities to reflect on and elucidate the challenges that characterize street medicine. Providing a robust experiential education in whole-person care and health navigation, this care exchange is intimate and crucial. We hope TBSM Humanities is an illuminating and valuable tool for all those invested in sustainably caring for vulnerable populations.

References

1. Hirschkorn, P. (2012, August 26.) CBS News <https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tampa-area-has-nations-highest-homelessness-rate/>

2. 2017 PIT Homeless Count Data. Tampa Hillsoborough Homeless Initiative. <http://thhi.org/about-homelessness/homeless-counts/2017-pit-homeless-count-data/>

3. Danielson, R. (2013, May 17) "Count (and recount) finds 2,275 homeless in Hillsborough County." Tampa Bay Times <https://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/count-and-recount-finds-2275-homeless-in-hillsborough-county/2121537>