Bernalillo County announced that the Commission recently approved a federal grant of $422,031 for acquiring and constructing a mobile health unit. The mobile health clinic, situated within schools, strives to improve and expand the current healthcare infrastructure by providing medical services to regions facing economic and medical vulnerabilities. This new initiative is part of a larger effort to enhance accessibility and effectiveness of health services in underprivileged areas.
The details of this transformative plan are highly anticipated. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, supported by Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, awarded a grant to BernCo's Office of Criminal Justice & Behavioral Health Initiative. The objective is to enhance school-based healthcare services at selected APS and charter schools, as well as at BernCo community centers, with the unanimous approval of the grant on a 5 to 0 vote. BernCo has recently procured two mobile health units, set to be operational by July 2024, and with this grant, a third unit will be acquired. These units will collectively offer preventative, primary, and behavioral health services to around 2,500 students and their families. Bernalillo County collaborates on this initiative with Albuquerque Public Schools and ABC Community Schools, with the program anticipated to commence in July 2024 upon the delivery of the first two mobile units, according to a press release by Bernalillo County.
Local leaders vocalize their support for this ground-breaking program. "These mobile health clinics will take preventative primary and behavioral health care to where they’re needed most," says District 2 Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada, according to a press release by Bernalillo County. "It is crucial for the well-being of our community that we provide wraparound health services, like school-based health centers, to our children. Thank you, Congresswoman Stansbury."
The Department of Health and Human Services aligns with this initiative in its broad mission to uplift public health. The goal of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is to improve the health and overall well-being of the American population. This is achieved through the provision of effective health and human services, as well as the promotion of consistent advancements in the scientific foundations of medicine, public health, and social services, according to the HHS website.
