outreach

Partnership for Community Well-Being

In August of 2021 UDO, the Ohio State University and Southeast Healthcare formed a partnership to address the growing needs of the University District's most vulnerable residents. This is a direct result from the OSU Taskforce on Community Safety and Well-Being.

our approach

Our initiative meets people where they are through street outreach with a licensed social worker through Southeast Healthcare.

UDO Outreach engages with clients in the University District who need assistance with mental health, substance use, housing, or any other basic needs.

snapshot of a typical day

street outreach

Going to hot spots in the UD to check-in with residents for specific needs.

provide recovery supports

bus passes, sacked lunches, water, etc

link to treatment

When someone is ready to go straight to treatment we connect them with immediate care.

meet kae

Meet Kae Denino, LSW, our lead clinician for the University District. Kae holds a Masters from New York University, a BA from Arizona State, and most recently earned a MSW from Ohio State. Kae’s career is bouquet of experience, advocating for people experiencing oppression. She is a co-founder of Freedom a la Cart, a restaurant and catering company that employs and provides services for survivors of human trafficking, as well as a former probation officer.

Kae focuses on target outreach to people who are unhoused in the University District. As a provider through Southeast Healthcare, Kae provides connections to primary care, mental health, substance use disorder needs and the PATH housing program.

Kae also supervises Ohio State University Masters of Social Work Students who assist with street outreach as part of their program placement.

Our impact

The report outlines the first year of the program and impacts made

resources

Connect to resources within (or walking distance from) the University District. For more resources across the City of Columbus, click on "The Street Card"

Contact
Outreach Team

outreach@universitydistrict.org
(614) 937-0221

30 West Woodruff Ave.
Columbus, OH 43201

Office Hours:
MWF 9-noon

FAQs

  • Engaging with clients in the University District area who need assistance with mental health, substance use, housing, or any other basic needs. Outreach includes building rapport and trust with clients while providing light case management work and connecting them with various partners/resources, hygiene products, clothes, bus passes, food, identification documents, phones, tents, and other basic needs.

  • The University District Clinician is an employee of Southeast Health Care often refers clients to their various teams and departments. Other community partners include:

    • Neighborhood Services Inc. (NSI food pantry)

    • St. Stephens Episcopal Church, OSU College of Social Work

    • OSU Student Life

    • Gateway Security

    • Mount Carmel Street Medicine

    • City of Columbus Dept. of Neighborhoods

    • Columbus Metropolitan Library

    • St. Sophia’s Church

    • Buckeye Food Alliance

    • OSUPD, CPD (Community Lainson Officers)

    • University Interfaith Council

    • Community Clothing Outreach

    • Columbus Free Clinic

    • STAR House

    • Clintonville Resource Center

    • Jordan’s Crossing

    • Downtown SID

  • The University District Clinician serves clients who are experiencing homelessness, substance use, or a mental health disorder. Clients are referred to community partners and Southeast for additional help with housing, benefits, social security, counseling, jobs, or other additional case management. The boundaries of service are the University District outline.

  • The office is located at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 30 W Woodruff Avenue, Columbus Ohio 43210. Drop-in office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 9a-12p. Phone number for call or text is 614-937-0221. Email: morgan.weininger@southeastinc.com or outreach@universitydistrict.org

  • Donations are accepted at the office in St. Stephen’s Church. Ideas for various donations include toiletries, clothes, shoes, book bags, coats, reusable bags, water bottles, canned goods and other shelf stable foods.