U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise has secured $1 million in federal funding to support St. Tammany Health System’s mobile screening programs including its mobile health unit, the Be Well Bus.
“We’re so grateful to Rep. Scalise for his encouragement and guidance in our efforts to create a healthier Northshore,” Joan Coffman, STHS president/CEO, said. “Our Be Well Bus screening unit literally carries health and wellness into our service district, and we recognize this appropriation will enable its healing work substantially.”
The STHS Be Well Bus is a 40-foot mobile health screening unit, custom-designed to bring a breadth of health and wellness screenings and preventative care directly into the community.
“St. Tammany Heath System’s mobile screening bus eliminates barriers like transportation and lack of health coverage,” said Louisiana Rep. Mark Wright. “This type of outreach helps underserved communities in my district and surrounding areas. I’d like to extend a special thanks to Congressman Scalise for working to secure the funding for this project.”
“All major cancers as well as diabetes, heart disease, nicotine addiction, and sleep disorders are better treated with early diagnoses,” Coffman said. “Carrying such screenings and health education into the neighborhoods of our Northshore community helps our local families with early detection and improved access to care pathways once diagnosed.”
Noting how important it is that people return to the regular health screenings they may have neglected during the pandemic, Rep. Scalise worked to include this $1 million appropriation to support STHS mobile screening programs in the federal appropriations bill.