BY KENDYL HOLLINGSWORTH
KENDYLH@
OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA —
Health care is about to become more accessible to Opelika’s underserved communities.
Four years after First Transit donated a bus to the cause, that bus has been renovated and converted into Opelika’s Neighborhood Mobile Wellness Clinic. The walk-in mobile clinic will offer routine screenings like blood pressure checks and glucose monitoring, as well as screenings for chronic illnesses — all for free, no appointment necessary. Social services will also provide referrals to community resources as needed.
The clinic is set to begin visiting Opelika’s Jeter and Carver communities on Tuesdays and Fridays, respectively, by the beginning of December.
“It’s just a wonderful thing to see this come together,” said Laura Grill, president and CEO of East Alabama Health (EAH), at a ceremony Oct. 12.
“I’m very anxious to see this get on the road because it’s all about providing access to care — care in communities that may not have transportation [or] may be reluctant to come to connect to health care, and that’s really to get them into the system so that we can provide health, wellness and education.”
The city of Opelika, East Alabama Health, Auburn University and the Casey Family Foundation partnered to make the clinic a reality, with the help of several businesses, organizations, civic groups and individuals who donated their time, funds and other resources.
The finished mobile clinic was open for tours following the press conference and ribbon cutting. The bus touts an exam room, an interview and waiting area, a bathroom/changing room and more.
Opelika City Administrator Joey Motley, Director of Purchasing and Revenue for the city Lillie Finley and Opelika Community Relations Officer Leigh Krehling spearheaded efforts to raise about $250,000 for the renovations.
Though the process took “a long time,” Motley said every donation, no matter how small, made a difference.
“Everybody from the $2 to the $60,000 — thank you,” he said. “It means a lot, and it was really eye-opening for me to see the generosity for the people in the community.”
The clinic’s biggest donor was Opelika Housing Authority, which donated $60,000. According to Director Matthew McClammey, the board members recognized the need for a mobile clinic and wanted to contribute as much as possible.
McClammey said many residents struggle with disabilities, low income or a lack of transportation, which holds them back from getting the care they need.
“In a lot of communities — not just those I’m responsible for — a mobile clinic will provide the opportunity for certain [routine screenings] that a lot of people don’t get,” he explained. “A simple blood test can tell a whole lot about what a person needs. … This bus being able to go to them will help them a whole lot.”
The bus will typically have about 10 to 15 care providers — consisting of EAH staff and local nursing students — on board at any given time, said Sutricia Johnson, EAH director of case management. Johnson will be in charge of patient care on the bus.
As an Opelika native and product of the Carver community, Johnson said the idea of giving back to her community with a mobile clinic was “very meaningful” to her. She emphasized teamwork and trust building to help the bus “come to life.”
“I think that is very important for us to know that it’s going to take a village,” she said. “Yes, East Alabama Health will provide the volunteers. We’re networking with the local schools of nursing, social work and etcetera to make this vision come to life, but as we all know that this bus is only as good as we pull together to make it.”
But none of that will be possible without the trust of the people and communities the mobile clinic will serve.
“We have to build trust,” she continued. “We have to be consistent, and we have to be intentional. With those things, I do believe that the services that we provide on this unit will not only better that community, but we’re hoping to identify chronic disease that otherwise would go undetected so that we can connect them with the resources in the community that we may be aware of. … We’re not looking to give them a handout, but a hand up.”
Following remarks at the ceremony, Laura Eason, EAH chaplain, invited all attendees to help bless the bus by coming to lay a hand on it and joining in prayer.
“Every citizen in the city of Opelika has given something to this community, and now the city of Opelika and East Alabama Health has joined together so that we can be able to give back to that community that has done so much for each of us,” Johnson said. “… We’re going to start small, and the Lord only knows where this will lead us.”
