Contra Costa Health Services Mobile van comes to needy Pittsburg students

Pittsburg Unified is one of three school districts in the county where, starting this year, low-income families can receive free services from the Public Health unit of Contra Costa Health Services.

Health Services, which for more than 15 years has operated a permanent clinic at Richmond High School, decided to expand its outreach after surveying the county's school districts two years ago to gauge need.

The results revealed that the Mount Diablo, West Contra Costa and Pittsburg districts had the greatest number of families eligible to receive free and reduced-price lunches, which also means they qualify for Medi-Cal.

In Pittsburg, 9,450 public school students — about 80 percent of the district's enrollment — were in that socioeconomic group last year, according to Superintendent Barbara Wilson.

The county bought three vans that each have two exam rooms and refrigerators for storing blood and urine samples.

There's also space for its crew to weigh youngsters, take their blood pressure, check for anemia as well as kidney, bladder and intestinal infections, and administer a battery of vaccinations for everything from measles, mumps and chicken pox to Hepatitis A and B, whooping cough and tetanus.

Also aboard is a health educator who can counsel students on topics such as nutrition, sexually transmitted diseases and avoiding unintended pregnancies.

A community health worker will help families apply for Medi-Cal, serve as a translator, and assist the family nurse practitioner, who will give annual physicals and prescribe medications.

In addition, a registered nurse will give injections as well as test youngsters' vision and hearing.

Starting Tuesday, county health care professionals will be available to Pittsburg students at the following schools and times:

Heights Elementary: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays

Parkside Elementary: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays

Rancho Medanos Junior High: 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays

MUST make an appointment, call 925-381-9429

It only takes a simple vaccination to save time, money, and the health of your young ones—so make sure you and your family gets vaccinated! Don’t forget to bring your immunization records!