圖朸厙 Community Care, in the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences' Ellmer School of Nursing, will host its third annual Back-to-School community health event 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center.
Through a collaborative effort between Community Care and local partners, 125 Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences students and faculty will provide free school and sports physical exams to K-12 students who are from underserved communities or who lack access to care. Vision, dental and hearing screenings will also be available.
For example, we will have many children who are well above the federal poverty level and have insurance but are not able to be seen by their pediatrician before the start of school due to lack of appointments and access to care, said Tammy Speerhas, director of Community Care.
Children in Hampton Roads are required to obtain a physical exam before entering kindergarten or if they are new to the school system to remain eligible for classes.
This is an important social determinant of health that we try to address by assisting our community, she said.
More than 100 children and their families are expected to attend, making this the largest community event the University has ever hosted. Community Care has partnered with outside providers to offer additional food and health resources. Providers include:
- Food Lion will provide 150 bags of non-perishable food items.
- Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughter (CHKD) Health for Life program will have a resource table.
- Virginia Department of Health will have a resource table.
- Sams Club will offer discounted memberships.
Trader Joes and Sams Club have also made additional donations to provide snacks for volunteers.
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