Baptist Health and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) have introduced a new initiative to enhance community access to wellness resources and education through the “Wellness on Wheels” bus. The program aims to provide outreach, mobile health screenings, and educational services in areas with higher health disparities.
Michael A. Mayo, DHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Baptist Health, emphasized the importance of prevention in improving community health, stating, “Prevention is the key to building a healthier Jacksonville community. By using the Wellness on Wheels bus to offer screenings and education, we can get upstream of major health issues – like stroke and heart attack.”
The Wellness on Wheels bus made its debut with a successful “soft launch” at two community events earlier this summer, providing stroke risk screenings and information.
On Saturday, September 28, the bus will be stationed along the LaVilla Link at the Emerald Trail for the 5K/10K race. The Emerald Trail is a 30-mile walking and biking path encircling Jacksonville’s urban core. Future Wellness on Wheels events will be listed at baptistjax.com/community.
Katie Ensign, vice president of community investment and impact at Baptist Health, noted that the bus complements ongoing health and well-being initiatives, saying, “The bus is one more access point to help make health and well-being resources, including stroke and aneurysm risk screenings, accessible to every person.”
JTA has a history of supporting community health, including partnering with Agape Family Health, the City of Jacksonville, and the Florida Department of Health for Duval County during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer mobile vaccination clinics and transportation to vaccination sites.
JTA CEO Nat Ford remarked, “Typically, our work is focused on getting people where they need to go. It is heartening to be involved in this groundbreaking effort to bring lifesaving health care resources directly into the communities where they are needed most. The Wellness on Wheels bus will break through barriers, making it easier for our most vulnerable neighbors to receive the evaluations and care they need and deserve.”
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