In 2018, a multidisciplinary team in Seattle created a combined clinical space to care for homeless youth and their pets. The One Health Clinic, based at New Horizons, a shelter for homeless youth in Seattle, provides concurrent primary health care and veterinary care to young people and their pets after a community needs assessment revealed pet ownership as a barrier to accessing health care services. The OHC is currently offered as a 4-hour session twice monthly, with both human and animal health addressed at each visit. According to the authors, “Many people experiencing homelessness own animals that provide emotional support and other health benefits… This integrated model leverages the power of the human-animal bond to increase primary care access for individuals experiencing homelessness, many of whom prioritize care for their animals over care for themselves.” The OHC also provides opportunities for interdisciplinary learning between medical students, veterinary students, and other health professionals. The OHC offers a free toolkit of protocols and best practices for other groups interested in starting a One Health Clinic in the U.S. or Canada. Find it at www.onehealthclinic.org
A One Health Clinic for People Experiencing Homelessness and Their Animals: Treating the Human-Animal Unit
Alice H. Tin, MD MPH, et al
Swedish Cherry Hill Family Medicine Residency, Seattle
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Annals of Family Medicine is a peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides a cross-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting the primary care disciplines. Launched in May 2003, Annals is sponsored by seven family medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Board of Family Medicine, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, the North American Primary Care Research Group, and The College of Family Physicians of Canada. Annals is published six times each year and contains original research from the clinical, biomedical, social and health services areas, as well as contributions on methodology and theory, selected reviews, essays and editorials. Complete editorial content and interactive discussion groups for each published article can be accessed free of charge on the journal’s website, www.AnnFamMed.org.
