Making health mobile

Shelby County will soon have its own mobile health clinic trailer to serve as a testing and vaccination clinic for county residents.

The Shelby County Commission approved the purchase at its April 11 meeting. The cost of the trailer is $129,999 and will be funded through a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA).

The community development block grant was funded by the CARES Act through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, to be used specifically for Covid and infectious disease–related activities. The mobile health clinic can be used for many types of infections, diseases, flu shots, school vaccinations and more.

“The grant itself wants to focus on underserved populations, and while we can use it all over the county, we will definitely go into some of the rural areas for those who might not want to leave their community to get tested or to get a vaccination or booster,” said Shelli Davis, the manager of community services for Shelby County.

The county will enter into agreement with the Community of Hope Health Clinic to administer the services. Community of Hope is based out of Pelham and relies on volunteers to provide health clinics for uninsured county residents.

The gooseneck trailer is being custom built and will include two exam rooms and a waiting room.

“It will be a great asset to use all throughout the county for various vaccinations and testing activity,” Davis said.

The staff who work out of the trailer will be given special training on how to provide their services in a mobile setting, Davis said.

“We will come up with a schedule for the 13 senior centers throughout the county, mobile home communities and housing authorities, things like that,” Davis said.

Davis said the trailer is expected to be delivered in July and the county will begin using it immediately.