Central Iowa homeless Veterans can now access Mobile Clinic
12/6/2024Des Moines , IA — Des Moines IA — A Virtual Mobile Clinic (VMC) recently acquired by VA Central Iowa to provide medical services to Veterans in rural counties is now also being used to serve homeless Veterans in the Des Moines metro area.
The VMC is a 38-foot-long mobile medical facility that contains two exam rooms, a laboratory area and waiting room. It can accommodate 12-15 appointments each day and is staffed by a registered nurse, two telehealth technicians and a driver.
The VMC is deployed three days each week to rural counties from the most northern tier of counties in Iowa, to the most southern.
On Fridays, it will now be stationed at VA’s facility that supports Veterans experiencing homelessness in downtown Des Moines.
“We are excited to bring quality health care to our Veterans experiencing homelessness and also work with them to get them into a stable housing environment,” said VA Central Iowa Director Lisa Curnes. “Using this mobile clinic to serve homeless Veterans will increase their physical health as well as their mental health as they will now have regular access to health care.”
The VMC will offer preventive care – such as vaccines, cancer screenings and HIV screening, primary care, and access to specialty care.
The mission of the downtown Veterans facility, the Community Resource and Referral Center (CRRC) located at 1223 Center Street, is to support Veterans experiencing homelessness, or who are at risk of homelessness. Veterans can use this facility to search for jobs, launder clothes, and receive other basic needs. The Central Iowa location is one of 33 CRRCs nationally.
This change allows Veterans at the CRRC to access medical services.
“We work hard to provide Veterans experiencing homelessness with the best support in getting them the tools that will lead to long-term housing,” said Jennifer Miner, Homeless Programs Coordinator at the CRRC. “Veterans who have a stable housing environment can more easily deal with other issues such as mental health and substance use disorders, finding employment, and other needs.”
VA Central Iowa CRRC is succeeding in finding homes for Veterans. The office permanently housed 157 homeless Veterans in 2024, exceeding by 11.3% their goal of housing 141 Veterans set by the VA national office.
VA Central Iowa Health Care System serves more than 32 thousand Veterans in 40 Iowa Counties and two counties in northern Missouri. In fiscal year 2024, the system had more than 400 thousand outpatient visits.
NOTE:
If you are a Veteran who is experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness, call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-4AID-VET (877-424-3838). Visit the VA Homeless Programs website to learn about housing initiatives and other programs for Veterans experiencing homelessness.
