Starting this week, Contra Costa Health (CCH) is rolling out mobile clinics that will visit the county’s three community colleges to make healthcare more accessible for college students.
The mobile clinic will visit the Contra Costa College campus in San Pablo every Wednesday from 1-4:30 p.m. Free school and sports physical exams as well as confidential reproductive health services will be offered.
Mobile clinics will also be stationed at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill (excluding the second Wednesday of every month) during the same hours. Los Medanos College in Pittsburg will have a mobile clinic during those hours on Mondays, except on holidays.
These clinics offer a range of services, including reproductive education, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and general physicals. CCH’s school-based health vans have long provided similar care to high school students.
“College is a time of transition and learning. With classwork, jobs, and daily demands, health can fall lower on the list,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, county health director. “By bringing care to campus, we are removing barriers and giving students an easy way to focus on their health.”
Chancellor Mojdeh Mehdizadeh of the Contra Costa Community College District (4CD) encouraged students to prioritize their physical and mental health.
“This is just one example of how our colleges empower students to care for their well-being,” Mehdizadeh said.
Students under age 21 are eligible for reproductive care at the mobile clinics regardless of insurance status. Additionally, students under 21 with Medi-Cal, the Contra Costa Health Plan (CCHP), or no insurance can receive physical exams through these services. The same applies to students aged 21 and older with Medi-Cal, CCHP, or who are uninsured.
Staff at the mobile clinics include a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, a health education specialist, and a mobile clinic operator.
Appointments can be scheduled by phone at 925-608-5350 or via an online clinic appointment request.