LA County launches first-ever mobile clinic fleet to serve homeless encampments
There are four units in the fleet that will make daily stops across Los Angeles County.
SKID ROW, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- On Friday, Los Angeles County launched its first-ever fleet of mobile clinics on wheels that will serve people in homeless encampments. This was made possible thanks to a partnership between County District 1 and the County Department of Health Services.
Health Services will be overseeing the fleet. Homeless advocates who do work in encampments said this was much needed.
"It is long overdue, long overdue. Those people out there need a lot of attention, a lot of help," said Michael Lopez, a homeless advocate.
They will be stationed in East Los Angeles, Lincoln Heights, Skid Row and Whittier Narrows. But the four units will be making daily stops at homeless encampments across the county.
Each one is equipped with a full-service exam room, a physician, nurses, a counselor and a social worker. The units can provide primary care and urgent care services, like healing wounds.
"In Skid Row too many of our neighbors and community members have succumbed to death and illness because they didn't get the social support and medical care that they needed," said Charles Porter, a member of the Skid Row Neighborhood Council.
The mobile units are also equipped with a medicine cabinet that will be filled with vaccines. Plus, they will also store some medication so a patient can save a trip to the pharmacy.
"This mobile clinic can provide blood draws and get samples sent off to the labs. So, again, clients don't have to come in for a separate visit," said Dr. Christina Ghaly, director of county Health Services.
According to county officials, the operational costs of the fleet, about $2.5 million a year, will be funded by health services. The units will also provide women-focused care like cervical cancer screenings and ultrasounds.
"That's big right there, that is going to help detect so much stuff ahead of time," said Lopez.
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