For the disadvantaged, the impoverished and the homeless, access to basic healthcare services is a critical need. All too often, people without insurance or permanent residence seek out treatment only when they are seriously ill or require emergency treatment.

The Community Outreach mobile health van was designed to bring healthcare into the neighborhood and within easy reach of people who are in need of primary care. The goal is to provide the treatment that will prevent minor illnesses and injuries from becoming major health problems.

The van was created after a study of the region's most impoverished members showed that while community agencies were offering food and shelter, healthcare was limited or lacking. By making care immediately accessible, the project hopes to improve the health of the less fortunate in the community and reduce reliance on costly Emergency Department and acute care services.

Because it is a model for other areas of the state, the project has been awarded a grant from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. All services are delivered free of charge. The mobile health van is staffed by an advanced practice nurse that is assisted by trained volunteers. The van makes regularly scheduled visits to designated churches and agencies, especially those that provide other services such as housing and food for people in need.

The 40-foot, state-of-the-art van was designed and built specifically to be a community mobile examination facility. The van is equipped with two examination rooms and a waiting area. It also provides facilities for patient interviews to be strictly confidential.

The health staff provides primary care for patients who require treatment for minor illnesses and injuries. Patients who have more serious disorders and need testing or more intensive treatment are referred to other hospital-based services. Families and individuals who are eligible may be encouraged to register at the Saint Clare's Community Clinic in Dover.

The program welcomes volunteers to assist our professional staff and provide financial support, allowing us to expand our efforts and help us reach greater numbers of the disadvantaged who live in our towns. Churches, social service agencies and other interested community groups can find out more about Saint Clare's Community Outreach Service and how they can join in our efforts to help community members in need, by calling 973-989-3771.