Focus: HOPE, a Detroit-based nonprofit organization, is offering free mobile health services and mammograms at its food centers throughout the year until fall. In partnership with Wayne State Mobile Health Units and Ascension Michigan, the nonprofit aims to increase access to healthcare resources for marginalized populations.
The Wayne Health Mobile Units, staffed by registered nurses and medical assistants, offer screenings for diabetes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Additionally, Ascension Michigan will provide mammograms to screen for breast cancer. These mobile services are available once a month with no eligibility requirements.
According to Portia Roberson, CEO of Focus: HOPE, these services are crucial for the well-being of the community. In 2018, a survey by the University of Michigan’s Detroit Metro Area Communities Study revealed that although most Detroiters reported good health, a significant portion found their health to be fair or poor. Nearly 10% of respondents mentioned financial barriers to accessing healthcare, and about a third had difficulty obtaining the type of care they needed.
To address these disparities in healthcare access, Focus: HOPE has partnered with Wayne State Mobile Health Units and Ascension Michigan to bring mobile health services directly to the communities that need them most. The Wayne State Mobile Unit will be present at Focus: HOPE’s Westside Food Center on the first Thursday of every month from April to October, with the exception of July. Ascension Michigan’s mammogram services can be accessed by registering at 313-494-4600. The service will be available at various locations throughout Detroit and Inkster on Mondays.
For more information about Focus: HOPE’s mobile health services or to register for an appointment with Ascension Michigan’s mammogram service, contact Nushrat Rahman at nrahman@freepress.com or 313-348-7558. Follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) @NushratR
