'Working together:' Milwaukee organization celebrates 35 years of serving city's homeless

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee organization is celebrating 35 years of serving the city's homeless. They are now also tackling the stigma around mental health.

Constance Palmer

Once a year local health experts and community leaders share a meal to celebrate something many may not have heard of.

"I feel, sometimes, we've been a well-kept secret, and how to best now tell people what's going on," said Constance Palmer, Outreach Community Health Centers President.

Outreach Community Health Centers have spent the last 35 years helping the homeless and others access services and healthcare.

"We serve the homeless in the community, but we now have primary care and behavior health, so we provide the full range of healthcare," said Palmer.

At this year's annual meeting they are celebrating what was accomplished in 2019 -- including serving more than 8,600 people and a renewed focus of breaking the stigma on mental health.

Dr. Angela Sanders

"We can help youth early on when they're experiencing maybe depression, anxiety, trauma before it escalates to something more serious," said Dr. Angela Sanders, Outreach Community Health Centers Director of Behavioral Health.

Governor Tony Evers stopped by the breakfast to talk about what he's doing at the state level related to healthcare.

"We're going to keep working together to move this forward," said Gov. Tony Evers.

For now, Outreach Community Health Centers will continue its focus on doing whatever it can to improve healthcare in the City of Milwaukee.

"You have to build relationships because it's all community, and they've got to trust you," said Palmer.

To learn more about Outreach Community Health Centers, visit their website at ochc-milw.org.