Street Side: The Street Medicine Institute Podcast

Kshe is the embodiment of living wisdom born out of the suffering of lived experience. We honor her courage and vulnerability in sharing her very personal journey. From the chaos of the streets to full-time advocacy, her story is remarkable. Kshe is the Founder and Director of LULA (Love You Like Always) in Peoria, IllinoisLULA website is HEREFacebook link is HEREFor feedback, comments or suggestions, you can email the host, Michael Brennan, at:[email protected]

Need inspiration? Listen to Dr. Sam Jackson from Chicago talk about why he loves this work. Learn about long-acting injectable medication options, and why housing is a therapeutic intervention for mental health. Dr. Jackson is the Founder and President of the Street Mental Health Coalition, and is publishing a book entitled "Homelessness."The website: streetmentalhealth.orgTo join the Coalition, email Sam: [email protected]

Persons with substance use disorder are at dramatically increased risk of overdose upon release from incarceration. Dr. Aaron Fox is the Director of the Bronx Transitions Clinic, which provides a medical home for people with chronic health conditions upon reentry. He is also the President of the New York Society of Addiction Medicine and a researcher in the field of opioid use disorder.

Medical Director of BronxWorks in NYC and faculty leader of the family medicine residency "Homeless" track at Montefiore Einstein, Dr. Littleton has decades of experience in street medicine. She explores themes of housing first, harm reduction, and "learning to listen" in medical training and practice. She is interviewed by Poyani Bavishi, who launched Street Side in 2023.

The Street Mental Health Handbook is a practical guide to street-level psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. This special episode is a recording of the Book Launch Webinar that was held in January 2026. We get to hear directly from the authors - Liz Frye, Simon Hatcher and Kim Van Herk - respond to audience questions in this dynamic episode of Street Side.To purchase the book from Springer Nature, here is a LINK

Join us to hear Emma Lo trace her remarkable journey to Street Psychiatry. An informative and inspirational speaker, Emma offers insight into the value of steadfast solidarity with our unhoused neighbors, placing relationship building at the core of mental health care. Emma is the Founder and Director of the Street Psychiatry Program at the Connecticut Mental Health Center, and is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University.A link to Emma's Profile on the Yale Website HERE

Our spotlight is on the Street Medicine Program of Valley Health Partners in Pennsylvania. Program Director Seth Campbell, PA, joins us to talk about their work. From the early inspiration of Brett and Corinne Feldman, Seth has helped to fashion a robust program that even outfits patients with eyeglasses right on the street. He also provides wise guidance for nascent and early Street Medicine programs.The link to Valley Health Partners is HERE

Are you curious about Harm Reduction and Safe Injection Sites? Dr. Benjamin T. Hayes, MD, MPH, MSW, is an Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center and the Clinical and Medical Director of the Drug User Health Clinic at OnPoint NYC — the site of one of the first publicly acknowledged overdose prevention centers in the United States. He trained in Internal Medicine at Montefiore after earning his medical degree at the University of California, San Francisco, and also holds master’s degrees in Public Health and Social Work.Dr. Hayes Bibliography: LINK

Author of "The Urge: Our History of Addiction," Dr. Fisher is a psychiatrist, bioethicist and addiction medicine specialist who employs nuance and humanity to understand addiction and recovery. As a person in recovery, he speaks with clarity and deep understanding.Show Transcript LINK

Authentic and inspirational, Todd Lucero details his lived experiences of trauma, homelessness, substance use, and incarceration. He speaks beautifully about the role of human kindness in his recovery and his own efforts to support others. Todd is an expert who speaks from the heart.Link to Transcript HERE

Kevin F. Adler is the author of When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, And The Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America. He is also the Founder of Miracle Messages, which combats the relational poverty of homelessness through reconnection with lost family and friends. Listen in to Michael's conversation with this inspirational author, leader, and social entrepreneur.Link to Transcription:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lin⁠⁠k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substance Use Disorder is both prevalent and highly lethal among rough sleepers. Dr. Shaina Shetty guides us through a harm reduction approach, providing compassionate support and medication-assisted therapies to help individuals on their road to recovery.Dr. Shaina Shetty is a family physician who is passionate about providing high-quality patient-centered care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. Her clinical interests are in the management of substance use disorders, HIV/Hepatitis C, and complex chronic disease, with a focus on the care of patients navigating housing instability. Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠Please send us your suggestions!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

In this episode, Dr. Marguerite Urban from Rochester, NY reviews the latest trends, research, and treatments of Sexually Transmitted Infections, with a particular focus on Street Medicine.  Dr. Urban currently directs the NYSDOH Clinical Education Initiative (CEI) Sexual Health Center of Excellence and continues to serve as the Medical Director of the Monroe County STD Clinic, a position she has held since 1994.Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠Send us your suggestions!: ⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

In this episode, we dialogue with KK Assman, NP, the founder and director of Kansas City's Street Medicine Program, "Care Beyond the Boulevard." A robust program that utilizes clinics, mobile units, and street-level care to serve the unhoused, Care Beyond the Boulevard also provides Medical Respite Care for those being discharged from the hospital.https://www.carebeyondtheboulevard.org/historySpecial thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠Send us your suggestions!: ⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

A native Angeleno and Jesuit priest, from 1986 to 1992 Father Boyle served as pastor of Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, then the poorest Catholic parish in Los Angeles that also had the highest concentration of gang activity in the city. Father Boyle witnessed the devastating impact of gang violence on his community during the so-called “decade of death” that began in the late 1980s and peaked at 1,000 gang-related killings in 1992.  In the face of law enforcement tactics and criminal justice policies of suppression and mass incarceration as the means to end gang violence, he and parish and community members adopted what was a radical approach at the time: treat gang members as human beings. Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠Send us your suggestions!: ⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Join Co-Host Vinh as he attends the International Street Medicine Symposium in Hilo, Hawaii. Meeting new people walking the path of street medicine and outreach from students to providers. Here's a special recap episode from just a few of the amazing voices from ISMS.Special Music from Prod.neverforever on UkuleleSpecial Sounds from Hilo, Hawaii, natural rainDon't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠Send us your suggestions!: ⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Let's talk about burnout! Join us for an amazing discussion with Dr. Vikki Reynolds. Vikki works as a Consultant, Facilitator and Supervisor in Team Development, Resisting Burnout and Sustainability, ‘Trauma’ and Witnessing Resistance to Violence and Oppression, and a Supervision of Solidarity. As a Clinical Supervisor and Therapeutic Supervisor Vikki is informed by narrative and collaborative therapy, and provides individual and group Clinical Supervision to therapists and community workers. She is the author of "Justice-Doing at The Intersections of Power: Community Work, Therapy and Supervision. "You can learn more about Vikki and her upcoming work by visiting https://vikkireynolds.ca/Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkSend us your suggestions!: Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Join us this week to listen to Dr. Liz Frye Chair of the Street Medicine Institute and Street Psychiatrist at the Center for Inclusion Health, Allegheny Health Network. Driven by a long-standing desire and commitment to connect deeply with and improve the health of people experiencing extreme poverty, Liz first began providing street-based psychiatric care in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in 2008. Liz joined the Street Medicine Institute board in 2016 and has led the Institute’s annual international street medicine symposia since 2017. She brings the following skillset to the Street Medicine Institute board: founding and directing an Atlanta-based street medicine program; writing and managing street medicine specific grants; designing and guiding qualitative research with people sleeping rough; teaching students and medical residents clinically on the streets; assisting street medicine teams to develop and expand street-based psychiatric care in their communities; and a population-based public health approach to street medicine. Liz completed medical school at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her general psychiatry residency, Community Psychiatry Fellowship, and Masters in Public Health at Emory University.Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Join us this week to listen to Dr. Michiko Fried (DNP, APRN-Rx, FNP-BC) and Dr. Kevin Emmons (DrNP, APN, CWCN, CFCN, WOCNF) from HOPE Services Hawai'i speak on their experiences performing Street Medicine in Hilo. Don't forget to register for this year's ISMS which will be hosted in Hilo, Hawai'i!Special thanks to Co-Host Poyani Bavishi. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Join us this week to listen to Community Health Worker and Member of the Board of the Street Medicine Institute, Joseph Benson and his lived experiences in street outreach.Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast! Please send us suggestions at [email protected] to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Join us this week to listen to guests Dr. Sarah Doorley, Addiction Medicine and Internal Medicine Physician at University New Mexico, and Lindsay Fox, a Physician Associate and founding partner and Director for the Center for Inclusive Health at University of New Mexico.Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast!Link to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠Link to Show notes:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Join us this week to listen to guest Dr. Patrick Perri speak about the world of Street Medicine. Dr. Perri serves as Medical Director for the Center for Inclusion Health at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh, PA and is active as a clinician-educator on the faculty of the Allegheny General Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program. His Street Medicine career includes more than 15 combined years working as a clinician on the Street Team of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and a volunteer with Operation Safety Net in Pittsburgh. Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast!Link to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠⁠Link⁠⁠Link to Show notes: ⁠⁠⁠Link⁠⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members worldwide. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Listen to how some street medicine providers navigate using antibiotics to provide care on the streets with guest Kate Pocock, a physician associate and Clinical Instructor of Family Medicine working with the Keck School of Medicine USC Street Medicine team in California. Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast!Link to SMISC One-Pager: ⁠Link⁠Link to Show notes: ⁠⁠Link⁠The Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members throughout the world. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Listen to how housing and social work efforts are playing out in Rochester, New York, with guest Andy Carey. Special thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to follow and share our podcast!Link to SMISC One-Pager: LinkLink to Show notes: ⁠LinkThe Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members throughout the world. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

These conversations were recorded during the 20th International Street Medicine Symposium thanks to Co-Host Michael Brennan. Don't forget to mark your calendars for ISMS 2025 in Hilo, Hawaii!Link to Show notes: LinkThe Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition is dedicated to promoting inclusive, reality-based, person-centered care for our unsheltered homeless community members throughout the world. We strive to inspire and equip students to provide high-quality Street Medicine through transdisciplinary student, consumer, and community collaboration. Viewing the streets as a classroom for social justice with the privilege to empathetically learn from the people, we hope to instill the transcending principles of Street Medicine throughout healthcare systems.

Michael Brennan is joined by Kara Cohen and Lydia Williams from Project HOME's Epstein Street Medicine program in Philadelphia, PA. Michael had a great opportunity at ISMS 2024 to talk to Kara and Lydia, nurse practitioners with years of wound care experience about Xylazine and it's impacts in Philadelphia.Link to Show notes and TranscriptSuggestions, ideas, or questions? Email us at [email protected]

On our third episode of Season 2 Michael interviews founder of RISE and board member of the Street Medicine Institute, Melissa Moore while at the International Street Medicine Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. Melissa shares her story of lived experience with homelessness and how she has transformed that experience into advocacy to help others. --- Link to our show notes and transcript: https://tinyurl.com/lived-experience-and-advocacy To learn more about the Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition, visit our website here: https://www.streetmedicine.org/smisc-about-us Music credits:  Street Side Theme Music by Auralnauts | https://www.auralnauts.com/

On our second episode of Season 2 we get to hear from Dr. Jim O'Connell and Dr. Jim Withers about their hopes and dreams for Street Medicine during some reflection at the International Street Medicine Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri. --- Link to our show notes and transcript: https://tinyurl.com/tale-of-two-jims To learn more about the Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition, visit our website here: https://www.streetmedicine.org/smisc-about-us Music credits:  Street Side Theme Music by Auralnauts | https://www.auralnauts.com/

On our first episode of Season 2 we hit the ground running hearing from the passionate voices of attendees and speakers at the Rally for Housing Not Handcuffs hosted by the National Homelessness Law Center and the National Coalition for the Homeless on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. ---Link to our show notes and transcript: https://tinyurl.com/street-side-supreme-courtTo learn more about the Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition, visit our website here: https://www.streetmedicine.org/smisc-about-usMusic credits: Street Side Theme Music by Auralnauts | https://www.auralnauts.com/Music by Nsee| https://artlist.io/royalty-free-music/artist/nsee/1731

Join our last episode of Season 1 where we sit down with Dr. Jim Withers to discuss humanism in healthcare, communal advocacy, and the future directions of the street medicine movement. To learn more about Dr. Withers and the Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition, visit the show notes here: http://tinyurl.com/mr36mwwjMusic credits: Memory by Balynt | https://soundcloud.com/balyntmusicMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Join us in welcoming Brett Feldman, MSPAS, PA-C, for a discussion on his journey to Street Medicine, how to engage meaningfully in long term policy reform, and advice for students in training. To learn more about Mr. Feldman and the Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition, visit the show notes here: https://tinyurl.com/cf87zdayMusic credits: Memory by Balynt | https://soundcloud.com/balyntmusicMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Join us in welcoming Harsh Mander, Indian human rights activist, writer, and peace worker. In this episode, we discuss the creation of public policy for historically marginalized communities and the importance of curiosity and imagination on the journey to becoming more empathetic in our work. To learn more about Dr. Mander and the Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition (SMISC), as well as how to contact us, you can access our show notes here: https://tinyurl.com/4bkpb2dbMusic credits: Memory by Balynt | https://soundcloud.com/balyntmusicMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Join us in welcoming Jeff Olivet in our first episode of Street Side. In this episode, we discuss how to find your place in the street medicine movement, uniting systems to address upstream factors of homelessness, and Jeff's journey from community outreach worker to Executive Director of the US Interagency Council. To learn more about Jeff and the Street Medicine Institute Student Coalition (SMISC), as well as how to contact us, you can access our show notes here: https://tinyurl.com/mvwx634xMusic credits: Memory by Balynt | https://soundcloud.com/balyntmusicMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US