The Launch of a Mobile Clinic to Aid South Suburb Communities

After a lengthy campaign of four years seeking public funds for a mobile clinic, Twin Green of The Link and Option Center decided to act independently. “I couldn’t wait on that,” Green remarked during the unveiling of the bus designed to offer 2,000 mental health screenings and 300 to 500 maternal health visits annually, beginning this month.

Green succeeded in raising the $600,000 essential to launch the clinic through personal efforts and private donations. Despite this success, she continues to urge elected officials to contribute an additional $900,000 to sustain staffing and operations long-term.

The mobile clinic, affectionately named Carry by Green, plans to service high-need regions in the south suburbs. Scheduled stops include Harvey, Dolton, Riverdale, Markham, Robbins, Chicago Heights, South Holland, and Hazel Crest. It will operate four days a week, thanks to agreements with municipalities and healthcare facilities like Thornton Township, Rich Township, and Cook County Health.

The clinic is designed to offer a range of services, from prenatal screenings and maternal wellness checks to mental health assessments and postpartum depression screening. It also offers support for addiction, monitoring for diabetes and hypertension, trauma-informed counseling, and referrals to OB-GYNs and hospitals, serving individuals regardless of their insurance status. Complementing the clinic is a mobile crisis response van to deliver immediate crisis behavioral health support when necessary.

Green’s observations over the past two decades in her community spurred the mobile clinic initiative. The COVID-19 pandemic particularly highlighted the mental health challenges present. “At the local grocery store, people would be out, children asking for food, money, and it was saddening to see,” Green explained. She often provided her contact information for potential support but believed a more direct removal of care barriers through mobile services would be more effective.

These are the very people we need to reach, the ones that are resistant to coming into brick and mortar facilities,” Green said. “Turning a high effort visit into a low effort visit — this is what it’s about — bringing something attractive, fluid, well-equipped, well-staffed and ready to serve.

Various officials expressed support for the clinic. These included State Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, State Sen. Michael Hastings, Rich Township Supervisor Calvin Jordan, and Cook County Commissioners Kisha McCaskill and Donna Miller.

Diversifying the healthcare workforce is a continuing challenge highlighted by Miller. She referenced 2023 statistics from the Association of American Medical Colleges indicating that less than 6% of U.S. doctors identify as Black or African American. “We need to train the next generation to be the providers of that healthcare for our community,” Miller urged while also committing to seek federal funding for community mental health services.