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Health and wellness fair includes medical and mental care outreach mobile unit

Visitors obtaining information at the Bethel Mobile Unit booth
Tom Flanigan
Visitors obtaining information at the Bethel Mobile Unit booth

Tallahassee's Cascades Park hosted a community health and wellness fair on Saturday, June 4. It included a newly-launched regional effort to bring healthier living to underserved neighborhoods.
The centerpiece of the many booths representing multiple health and wellness providers was a big white van. It was the Mobile Health Unit from Tallahassee's Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. Unit Project Manager Dr. Claudette Harrell said it's been on the road a lot lately, visiting places where access to health services isn't only restricted by lack of money, but also lack of trust in traditional healthcare providers.

"We go into that community. We find the matriarchs, patriarchs and the voices of the community that the residents actually listen to. And we try to find out what the needs actually are. We don't try to guess at it."

Dr. Harrell said, besides providing free health screenings and basic diagnostic care, the mobile unit can refer people to low-cost and even no-cost care in the area.

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Tom Flanigan has been with WFSU News since 2006, focusing on covering local personalities, issues, and organizations. He began his broadcast career more than 30 years before that and covered news for several radio stations in Florida, Texas, and his home state of Maryland.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories. here.