ORANGE COUNTY: Children’s Hospital to Add Two Mobile Clinics

      In response to growing demand, Children's Hospital of Orange County will add two new mobile medical vans to its "clinic on wheels" program, the Los Angeles Times reports. Established six years ago, CHOC's Healthy Tomorrows program brings free and subsidized health care to thousands of poor and uninsured children each year through visits to community centers and area elementary schools. While the mobile medical units provide sick-child care, immunizations and physicals, the program is also designed to help parents enroll their children in Medi- Cal or other government health plans. "We build trust with the patients and that makes it easier for them to make an application instead of going to the welfare office," Diane Dimas, a bilingual program counselor, said. Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Horton added, "Providing the health service is a good thing, but probably an even greater service is providing an opportunity to assist the individual in finding resources to pay for future services while also finding a medical home." In total, about 10 roaming clinics operate in Orange County: St. Joseph Health System and St. Jude Medical Center each run three, and Camino Health Center offers one mobile medical unit. With the addition of the new vans, CHOC officials hope the program will reach about 14,000 children by the end of the year (Warren, 7/15).