Baptist Operation Outreach serves Memphians in need
Community organizations work together to help homeless community
Baptist Memorial Health Care has been providing free health care to Memphis' homeless community since 1997. In 2005, a new partnership was born — Baptist and Christ Community Health Services joined forces to create the Baptist Operation Outreach mobile clinic for the homeless. In 2019, Baptist Operation Outreach expanded to include a primary health care clinic location inside Catholic Charities of West Tennessee.
Today, Baptist Operation Outreach is one of Memphis' largest health care providers for those without permanent housing. This year, the mobile clinic has provided free health care for more than 500 individuals.
Program director Janice Taylor has been with Baptist Operation Outreach for 20 years.
“The mobile goes to various locations that serve the homeless population, and we work together to spread the word about our services. This program brings together charities, churches, shelters and more.”
How Baptist Operation Outreach works
Baptist Operation Outreach has two providers available to see patients for a variety of services, including sick visits, physicals, immunizations and other preventive care, diabetes education, mental and behavioral health, STD and HIV screenings and nutrition guidance. Vision and dental care are available by appointment.
When the mobile clinic goes to a large location like Memphis Union Mission, both providers are there. The goal is for each provider to see 16 to 18 patients a day, but they will see as many people as they can. Appointments are helpful and preferred, but walk-ups are common. Both providers are licensed to treat adults, and one is licensed to treat children as young as 4 years old.
Once patients visit the clinic, they officially have a primary health care provider who can make referrals for additional testing and any necessary follow-up appointments. Labs can be taken right then, and many medications are available during the appointment. If a medication is not available, the patient is sent to the Christ Community Health Services pharmacy. Every single part of this process is free of charge, and health insurance is not a requirement.
If a patient needs additional testing elsewhere, Baptist Operation Outreach will arrange those appointments. Such testing might include an appointment for a mammogram on Baptist’s mobile mammography unit. Those with transportation limitations receive free bus passes, and Baptist Operation Outreach also has a taxi account if needed.
“We try to overcome all the barriers we can,” said Taylor.
Baptist Operation Outreach is funded through contributions from Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation, Christ Community Health Services, Tennessee's Health Care Safety Net, the Health Resources and Services Administration and private individuals.
Tree of Faith, Hope & Love
Baptist Operation Outreach recently hosted the 15th annual Tree of Faith, Hope & Love holiday luncheon at Memphis First United Methodist Church. The event provided 170 guests with a holiday meal and plenty of fellowship.
Volunteers with Orgill Inc. greeted guests with a hot meal of turkey, macaroni and cheese, green beans, sweet potatoes and a slice of cake. Attendees enjoyed Christmas music while writing holiday cards to loved ones. Each guest received a backpack filled with essential winter items, including socks, thermal undergarments, gloves, hats, scarves and toiletry kits. The backpacks and their contents were donated by Baptist, Christ Community and their employees. Volunteers filled 300 backpacks to distribute to guests at the event. The remaining backpacks were donated to local shelters.
This year’s event included a sit-down dinner for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The partnership between Baptist and Christ Community is one of the best things that could happen to Shelby County,” said Taylor. “When you work with homeless patients, the most important thing is to make them comfortable and let them know you care by treating them with dignity and respect. Baptist Operation Outreach does exactly this, while ministering to both their physical and spiritual needs.”
According to Community Alliance for the Homeless, there were nearly 1,300 individuals without permanent housing in 2023. This number is determined by an annual “Point-In-Time” count (PIT), where individuals without housing are counted on a single day in late January. The count includes those in shelters and those who are unsheltered. The next Point-In-Time count will take place in January 2025. Required nationally by Housing and Urban Development, the PIT count provides a snapshot of homelessness in Memphis and Shelby County at a given point in time, and it is one of several critical elements used for measuring progress in efforts to end homelessness.
Where to find the Baptist Operation Outreach mobile clinic
The Baptist Operation Outreach mobile clinic visits churches and other areas with large homeless populations upon request, including the following locations:
- Catholic Charities of West Tennessee at 1325 Jefferson Ave. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Memphis Union Mission at 383 Poplar Ave. on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Room in the Inn-Memphis at 409 Ayers St. on the third Thursday of each month from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Willie Mae Brooks Resource Center at 1300 Jackson Ave. on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Memphis & Shelby County Office of Re-Entry at 1362 Mississippi Blvd. on the second Wednesday of each month from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Hospitality Hub at 590 Washington Ave. on the third Wednesday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon.
For more information about Baptist Operation Outreach or to schedule an appointment, please call 901-283-8233.
