AUSTIN, Texas — A mobile clinic is opening up in East Austin to help those in need of health care services.
The 40-foot bus has two exam rooms, a lab and a waiting area that can seat up to four people. It’s all to help communities that really need it. The first stop is at the Barbara Jordan Elementary School.
Central Health and Community Care Health are opening this clinic because there’s a high rate of people in this area, such as Colony Park, who are uninsured, families who live in poverty, and there's limited access to health services.
According to Central Health, in Colony Park, 34% of residents are uninsured compared to 15% in Travis County as a whole. More than 30% of people live in poverty in Colony Park, versus just 14% of those in the county.
The goal now is to reach these communities and help people get healthy and or stay healthy.
"When you look at what happens in eastern Travis counties as populations are shifted eastward because of gentrification, it's important that we're there to provide health care services and temporary solutions. This bus will help bridge the gap until we can get more permanent facilities built,” said Mike Geeslin, president and CEO of Central Health.
Geeslin said they realized a big need for health care services through data and listening to people in the community.
“By being out in the neighborhoods, talking to people and going to meetings, we realized that we needed to bring services here faster while we’re also working on longer-term solutions,” said Geeslin.
The mobile clinic will provide primary and preventative care services, vaccines, labs and some pharmacy services.
Days this mobile clinic will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. include:
- Mondays and Fridays at Barbara Jordan Elementary School located at 6711 Johnny Morris Road
- Wednesdays at the Turner-Roberts Recreation Center located at 7201 Colony Loop Drive
- Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Creedmoor Community Center located at 12511 FM 1625
If interested, people just need to call their eligibility line and schedule an appointment. Those with or without insurance will be seen. A spokesperson for Central Health says no one will be turned away.
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