An opportunity for free healthcare screenings will soon be available at BGSU provided by the Wood County Health Department. The health department is working with the First Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green to create an accessible way for students to receive screenings, at-home COVID-19 test kits, hygiene supplies and more.
The mobile health outreach is open to all BGSU students, faculty and staff and does not require patients to have insurance, ID or any sort of payment.
O’Leo Loki, the outreach coordinator for the First Presbyterian Church, worked to put on the mobile outreach and is in the process of bringing it to campus. Loki is a graduate assistant for the School of Counseling, Higher Education, Leadership and Foundations at BGSU and created the outreach as an internship project.
“I saw the need especially for international students, they need access to affordable health care. But, I think it extends to all students,” Loki said.
The first day for the outreach saw large numbers of students and locals in different populations.
“It was quite successful. We got international students and locals from BGSU. As well as migrant populations and displaced people,” Loki said.
The mobile health outreach can provide students with an easy way to receive referrals to different services.
“It’s about bringing access to primary healthcare and also referral to mental health services, dental services and all of that,” Loki said.
Loki wanted to especially target students who may not be able to afford proper health insurance or if it doesn’t cover all of the services they might need.
“Some international students are well-funded or they come from families that support them, but a lot of students, especially graduate students, have limited funding. So, it’s a way of helping them,” Loki said.
Loki explained some of the services that are provided in the mobile health outreach.
“These are things that people need to check periodically, like blood pressure or cholesterol,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to talk to healthcare professionals to see where you can go after.”
Loki said while the services at the outreach may be limited, it’s an easy way to talk with healthcare professionals to figure out possible alternatives.
“It’s really a basic check for lifestyle diseases, but speaking to these nurses, there’s an opportunity to get other services,” he said.
The mobile health outreach can work with students based on their insurance plan or if they need help figuring out what plan would work best.
“The services are either free or there are some services, like dental, that are a scaled cost. They are scaled according to your income,” Loki said. “They do work with you in regards to Medicaid and Medicare and all of that.”
Loki said it is a simple process for students to be seen by professionals at the outreach.
“You can call and make an appointment, or just walk in,” he said. “They try their best to accommodate everyone. It’s extended to three hours but I guess depending on the number of people they may extend.”
The next outreach will be available on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Dates for the on campus outreach will soon be released. It will be found in Lot N and will be working in collaboration with the Allied Health Department at BGSU.
Students looking for more information on the mobile health outreach can contact Loki at @[email protected] or 419-806-9952.
