With gleaming wheels and a shiny red ribbon, Delaware County officials cut the ribbon for Wellness on Wheels, a 34-foot mobile health unit that will bring health services directly to communities.
“Today is more than just unveiling a new vehicle,” Delaware County Health Director Lora Werner said. “Public health works best when we meet people where they are. The Wellness on Wheels brings that philosophy to life. It gives us the ability to strengthen relationships with residents, increase access to services and respond more effectively to community needs.”
Delaware County Council Chair Richard Womack said the mobile unit will prioritize the health of county residents.
“Wellness on Wheels represents a brighter, healthier and a more sustainable future,” he said. “Today reflects our shared commitment to meeting residents where they are, delivering world-class care and securing the future for Delco for generations to come.”
The Wellness on Wheels mobile health unit was unveiled Friday. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)
He spoke of how the mobile unit will serve as a critical lifeline.
“When Crozer Health began closing operations, Delco was faced with an uncertain future,” Womack said. “The health of our neighbors was threatened by a private equity company that turned their backs on our community. This has allowed Delaware County to come together and to ban together … and to build something better than what we left behind.”
Delaware County Board of Health Chair Rosemarie Halt said she was envious of other county health departments who had a mobile health unit during COVID as that would have made their outreach more accessible.
She said this mobile health unit came from community partners who told the county health department they need childhood vaccine clinics at schools and screenings for diabetes and blood pressure for vulnerable populations at community and senior centers.
“We have come a long way since the birth of the health department in 2022,” Halt noted. “Today, we have taken one more step that ensures that we can respond to the needs of the community on multiple levels and most importantly, as a true partner and leader in protecting the public’s health.”
Delaware County Health Department personnel will be able to provide screenings, vaccinations and more on the Wellness on Wheels mobile health unit. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)
Werner explained that the department spent the last year talking to hundreds of community members and partners and elected officials in a listening campaign to hear and understand what needs a mobile health department could meet.
“This mobile health unit represents a significant investment in the health and well-being of our community,” Werner said. “This is a strong example of Delaware County leveraging outside funding opportunities to bring valuable resources to help us here.”
The mobile unit was purchased through $310,000 of federal and state grants. It will allow health department personnel bring health screenings, vaccinations, chronic disease education, outreach, health navigation services and wellness programs to people in their own communities.
The Wellness on Wheels mobile health unit will travel throughout Delaware County to provide health screenings, vaccinations and more. (KATHLEEN E. CAREY – DAILY TIMES)
“At its core, Wellness on Wheels is an investment in health equity,” Werner said. “Every resident deserves access to information, services and support that can help them live a healthier life.”
She added that as the Wellness on Wheels program allows for the health department to reach residents, it will also provide opportunities for residents to connect directly to the health department.
Both Womack and Werner praised the hard work and dedication of the Delaware County Health Department employees committed to improving the health of county residents.
Among those is Aminata Donzo, who started with the department as a planner and will now serve as the Mobile Health Unit coordinator, scheduling visits and driving the mobile unit to locations from events to schools to senior and community centers to workplaces and more.
She noted that Stephanie Reese, Delaware County’s deputy health director, and Cebele Rodriguez, the department’s operations administrator, had been working to make the Wellness on Wheels a reality since the beginning of their tenures with the department.
“This is a really big deal,” Werner said. “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for public health in Delaware County and we’re proud to watch W.O.W. and excited about the impact it will have in communities across our county for years to come.”
The first event Wellness on Wheels will appear is the Hoops for Health basketball tournament from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at the Darby Recreation Center, 1022 Ridge Ave., Darby.
A live form will be available on the health department website in August for requests for the mobile unit.