Quality Healthcare for Youth Here in Auburn Gresham
Felecia Morelon (Program Manager), Pamela Beauduy (Nurse Practitioner), Icy Cade-Bell, M.D. (Medical Director)
Ernest Sanders
The Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation (GADC) along with Perspectives Charter School-Calumet campus (PCS-Calumet) have partnered with the Chicago Health Corps (CHC) and the University of Chicago’s Pediatric Mobile Care Van Unit (Care Van) to bring affordable healthcare to youth in the Auburn Gresham community.
Charles Curry (Care Van Driver) poses for a photo in the van's greeting area. Curry is also First Aid and CPR certified.
Ernest Sanders
The Care Van is equipped to provide a full array of pediatric primary care services for PCS-Calumet students every other week and additionally one Saturday every two months.
Along with providing our youth with excellent health care, the mobile unit will also integrate smoothly into the school-based health center that might be developed as part of the Integrated Services in Extended-day Schools (ISES) project in the 2008-09 school year. This school-based health center will be managed by Access Community Health Network – another health partner GADC requested to be part of the ISES project.
The Care Van is staffed with a medical director, nurse practitioner, program manager/community outreach specialist, and a driver. During the school visits this team will provide the following services onboard the mobile unit: physical exams, immunizations, evaluation of acute conditions, hearing screening, vision screening, urine and strep throat testing, lead and anemia screening and other blood testing as indicated.
You may ask, “How can they provide so many wide-ranging services in a small setting?”
Well, according to Dr. Icy Cade-Bell, Medical Director of the Care Van, “Our team provides comprehensive and kid friendly services to ensure the best possible visit and medical care.”
One of two exam rooms within the Care Van Unit.
Ernest Sanders
Also, Charles Curry, the Care Van’s Driver said, “Our mobile unit is heated and has air-conditioning that can be used all year. It has one generator and two diesel 50-gallon tanks. This allows our team to provide the services we offer.” Curry also mentioned the Care Van’s other impressive qualities, “It is 40 feet long and 13 feet high. It is also about 8 feet wide and weighs more than 12 tons.”
Some other notable features of the Care Van include a central greeting area, two private and all-inclusive exam rooms, a TV & VCR used to education youth and guests, a laboratory area for screening, a wheelchair lift, and a kid friendly décor.
As a community development organization, GADC has been working to meet the mental, physical, educational, and after school needs of students at Perspectives’ Calumet campus and the community, through collaboration with Atlantic Philanthropies.
To facilitate the integration and collaboration of these world-class partners, GADC and PCS-Calumet have identified another partner, Chase Woodward of the Chicago Health Corps (a division of Americorps), to work within the PCS-Calumet campus. Woodward is a Northwestern University graduate and future physician.
He graciously accepted the opportunity to assist with these partnerships.
Chase Woodward (a Chicago Health Corps member) teaches Perspectives students about the importance of diabetes prevention.
Ernest Sanders
I am glad to be serving in a community that is serious about improving its access to healthcare. I am fully committed to working with our new partners to bring quality and affordable healthcare services to our students in the Auburn Gresham community,” said Woodward.
Perspectives' parents, for more information on this health program, please call Chase Woodward at (773) 358-6127.
Click here to view an audio/video slideshow of Auburn Gresham's intent to promote healthcare in Auburn Gresham.
To hear an audio version of this story, click the link belowhere: http://creatingcommunityconnections.org/node/2255.