NEW BEDFORD — Southcoast™ Health System has expanded its community outreach with the addition of a second Southcoast Health Van that will provide health screenings and health education throughout the region.

“For more than 25 years, our Southcoast Health Van has played a major role in improving the health of our communities, expanding access to preventive health care and, more recently, helping to ensure our region’s blood supply with vital blood collection services.” said Keith A. Hovan, President & CEO of Southcoast Health System and Southcoast Hospitals Group. “Our new van will further this mission, helping us to better reach our most vulnerable residents and meet the increased demand for this type of service.”

The new Southcoast Health Van will visit a number of highly visible and accessible sites throughout the region, offering blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol screenings, cancer screenings and education, bone density screenings, teen programs, pregnancy testing, immunizations and extensive preventive health education. Van staff often help residents address harmful risk factors that may impact their health, make regular referrals for primary care and assist residents who are uninsured, helping to improve the health of under-served populations in the community.

The Southcoast Health Van serves an ethnically diverse population including Portuguese, Brazilian, Hispanic, Mayan Quechee and Cambodian immigrants, currently administering approximately 7,500 screenings each year.

Southcoast’s first health van will now be referred to as the Southcoast Blood Donor Van and will continue to be in service, providing blood donation services and occasional screenings.

All services on the van are funded through Southcoast’s Community Benefits program, which last year provided close to $12 million in programs and free care in the South Coast region.

The new Southcoast Health Van will be at the following locations providing free community screenings during the month of September:

WAREHAM
Saturday, September 15
Wareham Crossing
2421 Cranberry Highway
Health Screenings
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ONSET
Sunday, September 16
Dudley Brown Post #2846
4 Gibbs Ball Park Road
Health Screenings
Noon to 3 p.m.

FALL RIVER
Wednesday, September 19
CVS/Pharmacy
550 Pleasant Street
Health Screenings
9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

WAREHAM
Thursday, September 20
The Good Shepherd Church
74 High Street
Health Screenings
3 to 7 p.m.

FAIRHAVEN
Friday, September 21
South Coast Business Center
200 Mill Road
Blood Drive & Health Screenings
8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

DARTMOUTH
Saturday, September 22
New Bedford Medical Walk-in Center
368 Faunce Corner Road
Health Screenings & Vascular Screenings
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SOMERSET
Tuesday, September 25
Stop & Shop
887 Grand Army Highway
Health Screenings
9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD
Thursday, September 27
Building 19
19 Hathaway Road
Health Screenings
10 a.m. to  2 p.m.

FALL RIVER

Thursday, September 27

HealthFirst

387 Quarry Street

Health Screenings

3 to 6 p.m.

NEW BEDFORD
Saturday, September 29
Working Waterfront Festival
New Bedford Waterfront, Pier 1
Health Screenings
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information and to schedule free screenings please call Susan Oliveira, RN, at 508-679-3131 Ext. 2740 or by email at oliveiras@southcoast.org.