SNOHOMISH COUNTY, APRIL 10: A new mobile health van designed to bring essential services to residents across the county was unveiled Wednesday by the Snohomish County Health Department.
The Health on Wheels Van will serve as a public clinic and outreach hub—delivering services such as immunizations, health screenings, harm reduction, and health education to underserved communities.
Pia Sampaga-Khlm, Assistant Director of Prevention Services for the health department said that they are partnering with 11 organizations to help identify areas with the most need for services.
About 20 to 25 people per hour can be vaccinated in the van, and four people per hour could be screened for sexually transmitted diseases, Sampaga-Khim said.
The van is equipped with refrigerators for vaccines and a generator for backup power. Two patients at a time can be seen using a privacy screen.
“What we learned during COVID is you can’t have brick and mortar and expect everybody to come to one place, there are barriers for access, transportation, everything, especially in Snohomish County if you start looking at rural communities…,” County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham said.
The unveiling comes a week after the Trump administration cancelled $12 billion in federal grants given to state health departments during the COVID-19 pandemic to track infectious diseases, including measles.
One of the programs cut was the Care-a-Van mobile health clinic run by the Washington State Department of Health. As of February, the Care-a-Van administered 61,448 COVID-19 vaccines across the state.
“There’s rocky times ahead but we have to look for ways to strengthen our programs and services and we have to build stronger programs here and keep forward in positive ways,” Executive Dave Somers said.
Worsham said that the Health on Wheels van was inspired by the work done by the Care-a-Van program with its work limiting barriers to immunizations.
This week is the 30th Annual National Public Health Week, April 7-13, 2025, aimed at promoting health education and preventative care.
The van has a staff and team, but the department is working on how to pay for vaccines and other resources, Worsham said. The health department used $296,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on the van itself.
Children can receive vaccinations at no cost, but the department is still seeking funding options for more expensive vaccines for adults.
With the uncertainty of access to federal funding, the department is looking at local grants and partnerships, Worsham said.
