First event happening in Nevada, April 13-14, 2012
Over 600 people from Lyon, Storey and Mineral Counties will receive free health care services this weekend. Most people who have applied for services are employed but cannot afford the skyrocketing cost of insurance or healthcare services, especially dental care.
Who organized this event and why? The free health care event was initiated by the non-profit Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey Counties, a group which includes over 100 local, state, federal and tribal agency partners and hundreds of community volunteers. The primary purpose of the Medical Outreach Response Event, or MORE, is to provide vision, mental health, dental, and preventive care for residents of this underserved three-county region.
When and Where: The event will be held at the Silver Stage High School, 3755 West Spruce Street, Silver Springs, Nevada, on Friday, April 13, from noon to 5pm and Saturday, April 14, from 9am to 5pm.
Who can get services and what are those services? For those who applied by March 23, medical screening, dental, mental health and/or vision services and medical insurance counseling will be provided. For Lyon, Storey, and Mineral residents who did not apply by March 23, free “walk-in” services including HIV tests with instant results, STD risk reduction counseling, and vaccinations for uninsured adults and children as well as access to a health information fair and educational clinics by the Carson Tahoe Wound Care Clinic, will be available.
Who is volunteering? MORE is made possible by the generous commitment of staff from dozens of Nevada health care, social service, nonprofit, and emergency preparedness agencies, as well as the work of hundreds of community volunteers and support from the Lyon County School District.
Long-term Impact: Organizers say this event will lead to long-term improvements since volunteers will help people identify and sign up for medical systems for which they qualify, such as veteran’s benefits, Access to Healthcare Network, reduced cost prescription drug plans, and affordable mental health care. Some vouchers for follow-up care, such as colonoscopies, mammograms, and dental exams will be available.
Christy McGill, Director of Healthy Communities Coalition: “People have been asking why we’re doing this. My answer is that volunteers from all over Nevada are working at this event because every member of our rural Nevada family deserves basic healthcare. We’re doing this because we can, because we should, because our neighbors and our families are valuable to this great state.”
