The DuPage County Health Department announced Friday, June 18, the launch of their new “Bringing Care to the Community Mobile Clinic Van.” The vehicle is equipped with a wide range of medical supplies; essentially a doctor’s office on wheels. It will aid the county in bringing medical care, including COVID-19 vaccinations, to underserved communities.
Besides vaccinations, the Mobile Clinic will provide a number of medical and educational services wherever it goes. The DuPage County Health Department said these services will include “STD testing and education, HIV testing and education, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition services, childhood immunizations, health insurance eligibility and enrollment, as well as COVID-19 vaccinations.”
Care Beyond Coronavirus
While the most immediate health concern on most people’s minds remains the COVID-19 pandemic, representatives from the county said they hoped the van would help address many other public health issues.
“Beyond the impact of COVID-19 within vulnerable populations, we saw alarming trends of people deferring care for health issues, and it was clear we needed to take a targeted outreach approach to meet the community’s health and social service needs,” Andrea Gargani, DuPage County Health Department Director of Public Health Services, said.
The mobile clinic will be staffed with nurses, nurse practitioners, and other community health workers to address all patients’ needs. The exact staff composition will be changed daily to address different communities’ specific needs.
Public Funding For Public Health
Funding for the mobile clinic van is provided by existing DuPage County Health Department resources. It was approved by the DuPage County Board of Health, and is available to any DuPage municipality that requires its services. Municipalities or community-based organizations wishing to make use of the mobile clinic van should complete this form or visit the relevant DuPage County Health Department website.
“Our Bringing Care to the Community mobile clinic van is the latest example of our commitment to getting resources to the communities we serve in innovative and practical ways that meet the evolving needs of residents,” Karen Ayala, Executive Director of DuPage County Health Department, said.
Naperville News 17’s Dave Byrnes reports.
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