SARASOTA COUNTY – In September, the Sarasota County Health Department’s Health In Motion Mobile Medical Unit staff will provide its regular health services at 15 sites around the county and will participate in three special events.
The first special event, the Fall Health Fair at the State College of Florida’s Venice campus, will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8, in the Selby Room at the college, 8000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice. Mobile unit staff will provide sexually transmitted disease (STD) and HIV testing, blood pressure and blood sugar screening, and Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements.
The other two September special events are free HIV testing as part of the National Aging and HIV Awareness Day and National Gay Men’s HIV-AIDS Awareness Day public health campaigns.
To encourage testing in adults over 50 years old, free HIV testing will be available from 9:30 a.m.-noon on Friday, Sept. 17, at the Senior Friendship Center, 2350 Scenic Drive, Venice.
Free HIV testing also will be available during the presentation of the play “Return to the Mineshaft” at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre, 25 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota. That event, scheduled from 6-9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 26, is part of the National Gay Men’s HIV-AIDS Awareness Day campaign.
Regular services provided at the 15 sites by the mobile medical unit staff include diabetes education and screening, blood pressure tests, pregnancy testing, HIV and tuberculosis testing, adult immunizations and health education. The staff also assists in finding a medical home that provides ongoing health care services for anyone who lacks medical insurance and does not have a health care provider.
No appointment is needed. Some services are free, including HIV rapid testing with results in 20 minutes. Other services offered at other locations are on a sliding fee scale based on income. Licensed volunteer physicians from the Senior Friendship Centers provide basic medical care when the mobile medical unit is at the Salvation Army in Sarasota. A registered nurse is available at all sites.
Source: mysuncoast.com