SOS program creating mobile medical clinic in former ambulance

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The program that responds to the health and wellness needs of Grey County’s most vulnerable citizens is becoming more agile with the addition of its own designated vehicle. 

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The Supportive Outreach Services program has received a decommissioned ambulance from Brightshores Health System, which is being outfitted as a mobile medical clinic for the team. 

Francesca Dobbyn, executive director of the United Way of Bruce Grey, which is one of the partners that delivers the program throughout the year, said Monday that Brightshores had generously sold the surplus vehicle to them for $2. 

“This is a great tool to have because we are in care and control of where and when we respond and we are not dependent on having the right kind of vehicle available for the team,” Dobbyn said. “We can brand it in a way for outreach versus 911 response so the people we are trying to help knows who is coming. 

“That is the big advantage to this. It just enables us to do more.” 

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Dobbyn said a mobile medical van had been on their wishlist for the program, but at a cost of about $300,000 for a new one it was out of reach. The former ambulance fits their needs and came at a cost they couldn’t pass up. 

It will likely take a couple of weeks to put the vehicle into service. They are doing an inventory of supplies and items needed on it. 

“We do need to do some renovations to the inside,” said Dobbyn. “We would rather have a bench in there than a stretcher, so people can sit as well as when they need to lay down.” 

Dobbyn said the vehicle will allow the team to offer better care to clients out in the community when it is needed, particularly when they require addiction treatment services. 

In the past the team has at times used a response pick-up truck, which has limitations when providing treatment to individuals. The former ambulance has the space for patients to lie down while they are receiving treatment, while also offering privacy and shelter from the elements. 

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It will also allow the team to outfit the vehicle with items that may not otherwise be available on an ambulance. 

“We will always have a box of socks for example, we will always have granola bars and that sort of thing – non-traditional homelessness and addiction supports,” Dobbyn said. 

The outside of the vehicle will get a facelift to help distinguish it as the SOS vehicle, which will allow those the program helps to easier connect with the team, Dobbyn said. 

“Those we are helping will sometimes see an ambulance down by the harbour and people will look because they would like to connect with SOS, but they aren’t sure if it SOS or an ambulance responding to a 911 call,” said Dobbyn, noting that the sirens have been removed. “When we are hopefully able to re-logo it, then people in the community will be able to look up across a distance and know it is SOS.” 

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Dobbyn said the United Way has agreed to host the vehicle to provide the SOS team with added flexibility around who will be able to drive it. Had the county taken ownership, only Grey County employees would be able to drive it, she explained.  

“Because it is a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency team, this provides more possibilities to the team to actually take it out,” Dobbyn said. 

While the up-front cost of the vehicle was minimal, the SOS program will be responsible for the operating costs, including insurance, gas and maintenance. Due to the high cost to insure the vehicle — about $4,500 annually — operating expenses are expected to be about $10,000 annually, though that is expected to drop significantly after three years. Dobbyn said SOS is constantly fundraising for the unfunded aspects of the program and they appreciate any further donations towards it.  

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The SOS program was started in 2021, when multiple agencies responded to a major COVID-19 outbreak at a rooming house in Hanover providing mobile assistance to the residents there. 

It has continued with various partners involved, including addictions medicine physicians, Brightshores, the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce, Grey County Paramedic Services, the United Way, the Owen Sound Hunger and Relief Effort and the Salvation Army. Other supporters include Grey Bruce Public Health, family health teams, municipalities, police, housing and social services and charitable organizations. It has become a model for similar services in other areas of the province.

The mobile team includes a paramedic, nurse practitioner, two mental health counselors and a social navigator. Clinics are held throughout Grey County including in Owen Sound, Hanover, Meaford, Durham and Georgian Bluffs. 

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Between February 2022 and June 2024, the program had more than 4,100 client interactions, provided more than 2,600 medical interventions, met the basic needs of individuals almost 1,200 times and made almost 1,000 referrals. 

“The SOS program has become a critical service provision to the community in terms of addiction response and homeless response,” Dobbyn said. “The team is throughout Grey County responding to needs, responding to those struggling with addictions.”

More details on the SOS program and its scheduled clinics can be found at https://unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/sos-helps/ 

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