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Pittsburgh Mercy
1200 Reedsdale Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233-2109 USA

Call 1-877-637-2924

Email info@pittsburghmercy.org

Pittsburgh Mercy

Need Help? Call us.

1-877-637-2924

Send us a Message

  • Home
  • About
  • Careers
    • Administration
    • Behavioral Health Services
    • Medical
    • Nursing
    • Professional & Management
  • Training
  • Events
  • News
    • Stories Of Hope
  • Contact Us
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  • Your Care
  • Engage
  • Give
  • Behavioral Health
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Behavioral Health
    • Services for Adults
    • Services for Children & Adolescents
    • Mental Health Rehabilitation & Recovery Services
    • Mental Health Residential Services
  • Addiction Services
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Addiction Services
    • Services for Adults
    • Services for Children & Adolescents
  • Intellectual Disabilities
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Intellectual Disabilities Services
    • Day Support & Community Participation Services
    • Residential Services for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
    • Unlicensed Home & Community Services
    • Employment Services
    • Contact
  • Physical Health
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center
    • Our Services
    • Location & Hours
    • Getting Here
    • Insurances
    • Your Care Team
    • Pharmacy Services
  • Intervention Services
  • Homeless Services
    • Second Avenue Commons
    • About Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net
    • Street Outreach
    • Housing & Care Management
    • Physical Health
    • Project HELP
    • Student Placement Opportunities & Street Medicine Fellowship
    • Awards & Accolades
    • How You Can Help
    • Bethlehem Haven
  • Veterans Services
  • Faith Communities
    • About the Pittsburgh Mercy Parish Nurse & Health Ministry Program
    • About Faith Community Nursing & Health Ministry
    • Education for Faith Communities
    • Resources for Faith Communities
Homeless Services

About Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net®

Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net® is our innovative, award-winning medical and social service outreach program for persons who are experiencing homelessness in Allegheny County.

We serve in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy. We reach out and offer services that help people and empower them to improve their quality of life. We also strive to address the circumstances that undermine mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

In 1992, Dr. Jim Withers, an internal medicine physician at Pittsburgh Mercy, partnered with street-savvy individuals who were formerly homeless. Together, they made “house calls” to persons who live on the streets of Pittsburgh. They made street rounds at night, in the alleys and under the bridges of the city. Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net and the concept of “street medicine” were born. The program received start-up funding through a Pittsburgh Mercy Care for the Poor Fund grant. Operation Safety Net became an official Pittsburgh Mercy outreach program in 1993. Dr. Withers continues to serve as the program’s full-time medical director and as the medical director of homeless services at Pittsburgh Mercy.

Today, in addition to street outreach services, we also offer:

  • Second Avenue Commons, a year-round, low-barrier shelter that supports adults who are experiencing homelessness, including couples and people with pets*
  • An engagement center
  • Housing and care management services
  • Physical health services
  • Legal assistance
  • Referrals and linkages to other Pittsburgh Mercy services, including mental health and substance use disorder services.
  • Referrals and linkages to other community resources, such as permanent housing and employment.

In the past 30 years, we’ve reached thousands of individuals. Last year, we provided services to 1,575 individuals experiencing homelessness.

We continue to help and inspire hope. We partner with other homeless service providers.

We set the standard for innovative programs around the world. Our ground-breaking work in Pittsburgh has been widely recognized and replicated on six continents through our partnership with the Street Medicine Institute, a separate nonprofit organization that we helped Dr. Withers to establish in 2008.

*Dogs and cats

Updated: November 27, 2022

  • Second Avenue Commons
  • About Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net®
    • Street Outreach
    • Housing & Care Management
    • Physical Health
    • Project HELP
    • Student Placement Opportunities & Street Medicine Fellowship
    • Awards & Accolades
    • How You Can Help
  • Bethlehem Haven
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Pittsburgh Mercy

A member of Trinity Health, serving
in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy

A Member of Trinity Health

Pittsburgh Mercy
1200 Reedsdale Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233-2109
USA

Call 1-877-637-2924

Email info@pittsburghmercy.org

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