SPOKANE — Students at Spokane Falls Community College could get free wellness checks and vision tests when the Care-A-Van mobile health clinic visited campus today, but one service that drew many people to the program is no longer available.
The mobile clinic stopped offering vaccination services in July after changes to federal funding guidelines forced the program to halt immunizations it had provided since 2021.
“I mean, we still get requests for it. And, you know, we have the same explanation that we’re currently unable to,” said Rebecca Baron, director of Care-A-Van.
Care-A-Van had offered vaccines since its inception, starting with COVID-19 vaccinations and expanding to include flu shots and all childhood vaccines before federal grant restrictions ended the program.
The mobile clinic continues to serve students and community members with various health screenings. Peter Ruiz, a student at Spokane Falls Community College, used the service for multiple health checks during today’s visit.
“I got my blood pressure. They checked my blood sugar, height, weight. They offered to see my eyes,” Ruiz said.
Baron said the organization is actively working to restore vaccination services through alternative funding sources.
“We’re trying to find other funding to offer vaccines because we understand the importance of it, and that we know that so many people came to caravan for those services,” she said.
While vaccines are no longer available, Care-A-Van does provide vaccine education, and offers at-home COVID-19 and flu tests.
The Department of Health says it continues to expand services at the mobile clinic to ensure it remains worthwhile for community members.
One significant addition is insurance navigation services, which helps connect uninsured individuals with appropriate coverage and primary care physicians.
“We also have Insurance Navigator. So, if somebody doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have a primary care physician, that they can help bridge that gap and connect them to an insurance plan that works for them,” Baron said.
This service particularly benefits college students like Ruiz, who said the assistance with insurance is valuable.
“There’s a lot of stuff for, like, helping paying bills or medical insurance. And I definitely need those things because I’m a poor college student,” he said.
Care-A-Van continues to operate throughout Washington, providing free health screenings and connecting community members with healthcare resources despite the loss of its vaccination program.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
