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Cleveland’s public health department will roll out its mobile health clinics at recreation centers all around town this summer.
The mobile clinics will park at a different recreation center on most Tuesday afternoons from June through August.
The clinics are free and offer, among other things, blood pressure screening and testing for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
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“Not everyone’s going to go into a hospital or even some of our neighborhood clinics,” said Katrese Minor, director of Community Health Services. “Some will. But for those who will not, or those who need just information, the mobile clinic is able to do that.”
The mobile clinics are typically staffed by community health workers and sometimes nurses.
Cleveland City Council approved legislation to buy the two vehicles for more than $1 million in 2021. Each vehicle has two exam rooms, a bathroom and an area where blood can be drawn.
The city’s first mobile unit deployed at the end of February 2024, rotating between three recreation centers during the week. The second mobile unit will be ready to begin operating this summer, Minor said.
More than one year into the rollout, Minor said the mobile clinics often act as a connecting point or entry point between residents and the ongoing healthcare they need.
“We’ve done blood pressure screenings, and we’ve had individuals whose numbers are very high, and they need to be connected to someone,” Minor said.
The clinics have also expanded their services since 2024: Minor says the mobile clinics now have bystander CPR training onboard as well as information about a pediatric asthma home visitation project.
The clinic will be open from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the following recreation centers this summer.
June 3 — Thurgood Marshall, 8611 Hough Ave.
June 10 — Michael J. Zone, 6301 Lorain Ave.
June 17 — Frederick Douglass, 15401 Miles Ave.
June 24 — Gunning Park, 16700 Puritas Ave.
July 1 — Cudell Neighborhood, 1910 West Blvd.
July 8 — Zelma George, 3155 MLK Jr Blvd.
July 15 — Lonnie Burten, 2511 East 46th St.
July 22 — Fairfax, 2335 East 82nd St.
July 29 — Earle B. Turner, 11300 Miles Ave.
August 12 — Estabrook, 4125 Fulton Rd.
August 19 — Collinwood, 16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
August 26 — Alexander Hamilton, 13200 Kinsman Rd.
Is the mobile clinic free?
Yes. Additionally, health workers can assist residents in signing up for Medicaid if they are uninsured.
No. The city has two health centers that offer free or low-cost vaccines; the mobile clinics will refer residents to them.
It depends. In most cases, no. But if a resident receives a test or screening at the clinic that warrants treatment – such as an STD/STI test – prescriptions can be written, Minor said.
The clinic does provide fentanyl test strips. It does not supply naloxone (or Narcan), but it can refer you to a supplier.
The clinic is equipped to offer lead testing but typically does not, Minor said. She said other organizations, like MetroHealth or primary care providers, usually do lead testing – which is typically preferred, she added.
“We really want people to be connected to their provider [and] actually get tested by their provider and make that more routine than kind of the one-offs at our mobile unit,” Minor said.
Yes. But Minor said the clinics generally don’t get very backed up. They also have awnings and chairs where residents can wait.
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