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At a
ribbon-cutting ceremony on February 27th, BronxWorks
inaugurated its mobile medical van, becoming one of the
first organizations to offer mobile medical services
targeting the street homeless population in the Bronx. The
initiative was fully funded by the Stavros Niarchos
Foundation. Please consider the attached photo, featuring
the mobile medical van and (l-r) Roula Siklas, SNF; Eileen
Torres, Executive Director, BronxWorks. Photo courtesy of
BronxWorks. |
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Supported by a generous 3-year grant from the
Stavros Niarchos Foundation, BronxWorks has designed and
implemented a new initiative to provide a more comprehensive
scope of medical services to street homeless in the Bronx
via a newly customized mobile medical van. Beyond providing
basic medical services to individuals on the street, in
parks, under bridges or wherever they are living, this
vehicle offers rapid HIV and Hepatitis C testing to the
street homeless. While there are several Hep-C and HIV
testing services available in the Bronx, there are no
programs where the testing is brought directly to the target
population where they live and work on the street.
Also thanks to the grant from SNF, BronxWorks
has been able to expand the medical services the customized
van will offer. As a result, BronxWorks will be among the
first to offer mobile medical services targeting the street
homeless population in the Bronx, offering not only the
rapid testing and treatment but also full medical and
psychiatric examinations, including ob/gyn exams for women.
The van is equipped with both specialized and basic medical
equipment, strict temperature controls, and essential
medical supplies to provide on-the-spot diagnosis and
treatment to street homeless individuals.
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