The new mobile health van is designed to provide essential medical services to individuals in Grand Rapids and surrounding areas experiencing homelessness.
Grand Rapids-based Catherine’s Health Center is a nonprofit community health center with four locations providing affordable healthcare services to anyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
Megan Erskine is Catherine’s Health Center’s CEO.
“We know this population faces a lot of stigma, a lot of barriers related to transportation and cost, and so the best way to bring services to people is to go directly to them.”
The new health van is equipped to offer primary care, mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, and preventative screenings. Catherine’s hopes to bridge the gap in healthcare access for the area’s unhoused population.
“We’re going to provide all the things, all the services, to really help people be holistically healthy and well.”
Staffing for the van is being finalized and officials are eying a June launch for the service. The vehicle will operate in various locations throughout the city and a schedule will be available on Catherine’s website.
Funding for the van was provided by public and private donations.
