Outreach ’ s social workers also provide case management and on-site mental health counseling , and spiritual counseling is available with the program ’ s chaplain . Needless to say , it ’ s an essential health resource for those without any resources . And the man “ driving the bus ” as Outreach ’ s medical director for more than 15 years is Dr . Jack O ’ Handley .
“ Dr . O ,” who ’ s also served on the Mount Carmel Foundation board , is the Mount Carmel mission personified . He came to Mount Carmel in 1995 as program director of the Family Medicine Residency program after 14 years in private practice in Lancaster . During his six years with the residency program , he was also serving as volunteer medical director for Outreach . So he ’ s technically been involved with Outreach for more than two decades .
“ My job is to provide medical care to the poor and underserved of Franklin County ,” said O ’ Handley . “ I oversee our eight clinic sites around the city , supervise the nurses and nurse practitioner working with me , approve Outreach policies and procedures , evaluate our programs and clinic sites , train medical students and residents in Outreach and Street Medicine , and interface with the various other agencies that we partner with . It ’ s a sizable undertaking , but it ’ s something I and our entire team are incredibly passionate about .”
And that passion has led to a great deal of trust between the program and the people it serves .
“ Entering back into society after chronic homelessness is a difficult process that requires patience , trust and a great deal of energy ,” the doctor shared . “ Because of the trust we ’ ve developed over the years with the poor and underserved of our community , we ’ re able to reach and make an impact on people who ’ ve been shunned or chosen to cut themselves off from society .”
.
That perseverance has not only led to a great deal of success for the program , but hope from both the medical professionals involved and the patients they serve .
“ Each of us is a child of God and deserving of all the help we can give ,” said Dr . O ’ Handley . “ Whether it ’ s going out in a January blizzard to find a patient who had stage 3 hypertension or giving a hoodie as a Christmas present to a longtime patient , our successes are a motivating factor in our work . They lead us to feel hopeful even in the direst circumstances . They ’ ve also earned us the respect of not only our patients , but our peers and partnering organizations as well .”
Dr . O sees the entire program as an outgrowth of Mount Carmel ’ s unwavering mission and vision .
“ Under the guidance of the Sisters of the Holy Cross , the Mount Carmel mission has never changed ,” he affirmed . “ We continue to be dedicated to helping the poor and underserved . And with the commitment and guidance of Sister Barbara Hahl and the hard work and dedication of Regional Director of Outreach Brian Pierson , that ’ s certain to continue .”
And that ’ s a good thing . Because the challenges facing central Ohio ’ s most vulnerable citizens aren ’ t dissipating .
“ Substance abuse and mental health problems are driving factors for homelessness in the majority of our patients ,” O ’ Handley said . “ Addressing these problems now and in the future is a great need , and our continuing partnerships with organizations that focus on these problems will continue to be very important to achieving our mission .”
But with dedicated servants like Dr . O ’ Handley and the Outreach team , and the generous support of Foundation donors , that mission is possible .
Dr . O has been a supportive , passionate and highly engaged Foundation board member since January of 2011 . He will complete his board service this December .
9