On Thursday July 3, 2025, at 11:30-12:30 PM EST we will present:
Topic: Homelessness with Disabilities: Delivering interprofessional outreach rehabilitation to improve health equity
Summary:
Health disparities are amplified at the intersection of disability and homelessness. This presentation will share the work of occupational therapist Julia Lam, OTR/L and physiatrist Max Hurwitz, DO providing rehabilitation care to people experiencing homelessness. By bringing interprofessional rehabilitation outside of clinic walls and into streets, encampments, homeless shelters, and housing placements, their team addresses social determinants of health and disability-related inequities. We will discuss health disparities affecting this population (e.g. traumatic brain injury, accelerated aging, amputation), specific strategies to improve equitable care delivery across traditional and emerging practice settings, and collaboration with healthcare systems and governmental organizations to improve physical and cognitive accessibility within existing social services.
Speaker (and Program co-developer) Bios:
Julia Lam, OTD, OTR/L, Founder and Occupational Therapist at Outreach Therapy, julia@otpgh.org
Julia Lam is Executive Director and occupational therapist at Outreach Therapy, a Pittsburgh nonprofit delivering OT services to people experiencing homelessness. She provides physical, mental health, and cognitive rehabilitation spanning outdoors, shelters, and housing to support equitable access to rehabilitation and sustainable transition into permanent housing. Prior to founding Outreach Therapy, she served as president of Street Medicine at Pitt, completed her doctoral capstone on community re-integration following homelessness, and provided rehabilitation services in orthopedic, neurorehabilitation, and mental health settings with particular interest in chronic pain, complex trauma, and functional cognition.
Max Hurwitz, DO, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Assistant Medical Director of Street Medicine at Pitt, hurwitzmb2@upmc.edu Dr. Hurwitz is an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, with a clinical focus is the care of adults with complex disabilities, including trauma, neurologic injuries, and limb loss. Dr. Hurwitz is Co-director of the PM&R street medicine clinical rotation, and assistant medical director of Street Medicine at Pitt, which provides health services and care to people living on the street. He is the PI on a Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation grant titled Improving the Care and Treatment of Homeless Individuals in the Emergency Department, and course director for a course on disability at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. Dr. Hurwitz's research, teaching and clinical work is driven by a dedication to care for vulnerable populations, and to steer change in our healthcare system and medical education to provide more equitable care.
We look forward to you joining us and sharing your latest work toward equity in disability health care or just listening and learning from our amazing members and guests! Students and advocates are always welcome!
About our Monthly Meetings: On the first Thursday of every month at 11:30 EST ADHCE provides a networking opportunity for members and interested guests as well as near Monthly Presentations. The monthly meeting typically includes presentations around current topics of interest, advocacy, and announcements for upcoming events. You can also learn more about the organization and the wonderful work of its members. Students are welcome. If you are not a member you will need to register to receive a free Zoom invite to attend monthly meetings.
ADHCE does not collect registration fees for any event and proudly offers monthly meetings and an annual conference at no additional cost to attendees. We do welcome donations to support ongoing operational expenses as the organization continues to grow. And if you are not yet a member, please consider joining us at join ADHCE.
