Tuesday, May 20, 2025
5/20/2025
Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Assistance for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts (CARE) - Treasure Coast Community is applying for a mobile medical bus unit in order to provide health services as part of the community’s recovery following a hurricane. It became apparent during the last public health emergency that Treasure Coast was a critical partner in the county for ensuring availability of health services to patients in need. As natural disasters become increasingly prominent in our daily lives, Treasure Coast Community Health works to join many other health centers adapting their structure to not only fortify health center buildings for services but to take the services to the community where ever needed. The mobile medical bus would allow services to continue at locations that became inoperable due to the storm, as well as, accessibility to areas where the storm had measurable impact causing traveling difficulties for patients. The mobile unit can assist with providing care to chronic care patients including ensuring medication consistency, while helping to manage the patient load at the local hospital’s emergency room. A fully equipped 40 foot mobile medical clinic with 2 exam rooms, a bathroom and a small reception area is budgeted to cost $450,000. The unit will serve double duty, as when not threatened by a natural disaster, Treasure Coast plans to take full advantage of the unit’s mobility to reach patients “where they are’ such as rural populations, homeless and migrant farmworkers. The remaining $40,000 of grant funds are budgeted for accordion style hurricane shutters for two locations that Treasure Coast Community Health Center owns. One location is at the Fellsmere Health Center 12196 County Road #512, Fellsmere, 32948 and the second is a dental office at 1955 21st Ave. Vero Beach, FL 32960. The accordion style shutters allows for a faster response time of preparedness for a hurricane. With limited maintenance resources, especially after a hurricane watch is announced, it is important to utilize the current maintenance staff as efficiently as possible, as preparation for all 9 locations is necessary. Accordion style shutters also provide for a more secure fit on odd sized windows compared to panels shutters that are layered for protection.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).