St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center on South Avenue has been providing health care to the underinsured and uninsured for decades. The center is now aiming to reach more residents with its new medical outreach and education vehicle, The MOE.
“We believe that everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, deserves access to high quality primary and specialty care, and The MOE is very much an initiative that will help us to bridge the gap,” said Jennifer Sahrle, St. Joseph’s executive director.
The medical vehicle will allow the staff to meet community members where they are by driving up and providing health care services where “people live, work, play and pray” according to Sahrle.
“It's also about restoring faith in the systems that are meant to protect, heal and uplift our community, and it's about making sure that your zip code doesn't determine your life expectancy,” said county executive Adam Bello.
The launch of the medical service vehicle comes at a time when the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are proposing stricter eligibility requirements for Medicaid and the SNAP program through the Big Beautiful Bill. If passed, the legislation could leave millions of Americans without health insurance.
Congressman Joe Morelle said the medical mobile unit is a vital pushback against the legislation.
“They're doing this because they want to give a massive tax cut to millionaires and billionaires, but it's going to affect everybody," Morelle said. "So this (vehicle) is critical.”
The vehicle was made possible through $2.7 million American rescue plan funding
