With the help of your support, we launched the Columbia River Mobile Health unit just over a year ago.
Caring for the Community
Our mobile team, with a well-equipped van, visits the encampments of unhoused people. They may be victims of domestic violence, elderly individuals who lost their homes, veterans, or people dealing with a mental health or substance use crisis.
A physician assistant, nurse, clinician and multiple case managers provide on-site medical and behavioral health services and work to meet those where they’re at to provide care.
The team’s daily tasks include general outreach; completing mental health assessments; handing out clothing, snacks, and medical supplies; and providing clients with any assistance needed. In just four months, the team visited 63 locations across Clark County with a total of 259 stops. This couldn’t have happened without your support.
We’ve seen clients go from tent camping into a
temporary shelter and then being permanently housed this past year.”
Before 2021 there were only around 6 people on the streets in all of Clark County, serving unhoused clients. In 2023, we now have multiple service providers supplying overall health, peer support and case management services in the community.
Lauryn Sanders, Mobile Services Manager and Clinician, expresses, “For me to be able to engage in this process and be one of the first mental health clinicians in the community has been very motivating and eye-opening.”
“We thrive on our creative problem-solving to help clients when the ‘normal’ hasn’t worked for them. We’ve seen clients go from tent camping into a
temporary shelter and then being permanently housed this past year. Part of that process was us giving a mental health assessment and assessing
different housing opportunities and funding.”
Scott, a veteran, was living unhoused and experiencing a mental health crisis due to PTSD. When the Mobile Health team arrived, they were able to immediately assess Scott and connect him with the proper care to support his mental health needs. The team’s collaboration and efforts saved Scott’s life. Lauryn shares, “The goal of our team has always been providing clients an intake unit on wheels and connecting them to long-term providers. This is something we’ll continue to do with community support.”
Since the launch of the mobile unit in 2021, the team has visited clients during daytime hours, Tuesday-Friday. Donations like yours will not only help our team continue serving vulnerable groups in our community but also will help us expand our services to seven days a week.
