MGH Care Van brings free primary, preventive health services to Revere residents

By Barbara Taormina

REVERE – The Commission on Disabilities hosted guest speaker Jared Craig, Mobil Operations Manager of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Community Care Van, a mobile health program. Craig presented an overview of the program’s mission and the free and low-cost services it brings to Revere.

The MGH Care Van is part of the three-van fleet, with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Salem Hospital also operating vans. The program was launched during COVID to provide vaccines and care to those having trouble accessing care. Since then, it has expanded to offer free primary and preventive care to communities stretching from Mattapan to Salem.

“We focus on areas where there have been historic difficulties getting access to care,” Craig told the commission.

Craig repeatedly stressed that the van is free — “What we provide is free to anyone with or without insurance,” he said, adding that the goal is to bridge the gap between not having a primary care health provider to having primary care.

Craig explained that the van’s multilingual and multicultural staff focuses on screening and educating residents about chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The van also dispenses blood pressure cuffs and glucose monitors to help people with selfcare. The van devotes several days a week to assisting people with substance abuse disorders, said Craig, explaining that the ultimate goal is to get them into rehab.

The van also provides care for pregnant women and postpartum care; however, that particular service is limited to Mass General patients.

Craig said the van recently started offering colorectal cancer screening and will arrange free follow-up care if needed. While the Care Van provides free care, there is also a community health coordinator on board who can help residents access primary care and insurance through MassHealth.

According to Craig, the van operates 20 to 24 hours a week, although that number can jump as high as 90 hours during the summer. Last year, 6,200 people sought and received care from the vans. The vans have reached 40,000 people over the life of the program.

Commission Chairman Ralph DeCicco asked how accessible the vans are for the disabled. And unfortunately, they are not accessible. But Criag said van staff often move indoors; for example, to the lobby of a housing authority building. “If we need to, we will bring everything off the van,” said Craig. “It’s not an issue to us.”

“It’s great to see how much this increases accessibility for people with disabilities at the housing authority,” said DeCicco.

“Different services are out there but getting to people is where the gap is,” said Commission Vice Chair Pauline Perno.

Craig said Revere and Chelsea are where the van and services are most needed. “We want to meet people where they are at,” he said.

“The state of healthcare and accessing what you need is horrific; you need someone helping you,” said Perno. “I applaud the work that being done because, God knows, it needs to be done.”

Perno and commission member Jason Barone said communication is essential. Perno noted she had no idea the care vans existed until her daughter began working on one. They asked about van schedules and locations. Craig said the van schedules are posted on the Massachusetts General Brigham website and flyers are available in multiple languages. He said he would send dates and times the van would be in Revere to the Commission and the Public Health Office.