“Prevention Point is a wonderful place,” says Dr. Monika Van Sant, Prevention Point Philadelphia’s (PPP) Medical Director. “People really are passionate about the work they do here. You can see how staff have the love for the service and the mission.”
A proud Philadelphian, Dr. Van Sant was raised in the vibrant Lithuanian American community in Center City and Kensington.
“Serving as the Medical Director at Prevention Point is a great opportunity for me to treat the same population that I have worked with throughout my career, and in the beautifully diverse neighborhood that I grew up in,” she says.
Dr. Van Sant completed all of her education in Philadelphia, earning her undergraduate degree at Holy Family College and her medical degree at the Philadelphia School of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). Since 2008, she has dedicated her career to patients facing poverty, homelessness, and substance use disorder.
As Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dr. Van Sant and her residents were early champions for medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including Suboxone and Vivitrol, which are both also offered through PPP’s MOUD Clinic.
“I'm coming from the osteopathic philosophy, which is to treat the whole person,” Dr. Van Sant explains. “The patient’s social determinants of health and overall condition are taken into account in their healing process, instead of compartmentalizing their illness.”
At St. Joseph’s, Dr. Van Sant and her residents treated patients experiencing homelessness and co-occurring disorders, including substance use disorder and mental health issues.
“It was a lovely community,” she reflects. "I found my greatest joy treating those patients.” She remembers how patients would thank her team for seemingly the smallest things — a cup of water, a blanket — often saying, “Thank you for treating me like a human being.”
“Those relationships spoke to my heart during the eight years I trained residents to treat people and not just the disease,” she says.
When St. Joseph's Hospital closed in 2016, Dr. Van Sant continued working in addiction medicine first at Nazareth Hospital and then at the Be Well Center, as well as in her own private practice.
“At Prevention Point we provide the proper structure and support for the whole person to heal."
Dr. Van Sant first connected with PPP through a case manager, whose compassion and detailed follow-up impressed her. She and the case manager stayed in touch over the years through a mutual patient’s journey.
When Dr. Van Sant joined PPP in December 2023, she was thrilled to see this former patient again at his first appointment for his first shot of the long-acting drug treatment Sublocade, accompanied by the same case manager.
“It was exciting to see that he had been able to make that next step in the transition. He had tried so many times,” recalls Dr. Van Sant.
Now, as Medical Director, she aims to integrate the whole-person philosophy of treatment into all medical services offered at PPP.
“It's not just about MOUD or substance use. For our patients it's also about, ‘Where are you going to sleep tonight? Did you eat something? What's the next step in the plan to be able to see your kids? Do you need clothing?’” explains Dr. Van Sant. “It's about all of those things.”
Dr. Van Sant is passionate about advancing medical services at PPP and fostering trust and cohesion in her team.
"We already encompass harm reduction, MOUD treatment, primary care, and some behavioral health. I’d like to get more into treating conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Our goal will be to provide quality care for the whole person, however they present to us, and they'll get the best care if it's a one-stop shop.”
When she isn’t working, Dr. Van Sant enjoys spending time with her flock of chickens and beloved pit bull and working in her garden.
“If you are having serious mental health or medical problems, we can treat you. At Prevention Point we provide the proper structure and support for the whole person to heal.”
Portrait of Dr. Van Sant: Kit Ramsey