A new mobile health care clinic has arrived on the Big Island courtesy of Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, a Hawaii-based nonprofit dedicated to improving maternal, child and family health care.
The new Mana Mama Mobile Health Clinic offers a variety of medical care for moms, families and those giving birth, with services ranging from pregnancy care to reproductive health and family medicine.
“What we really try and do is wrap families up in a really supportive network,” said Kari Wheeling, who serves as clinical services director. “We help them as much as we can with our services, then try to help connect the dots in their community. We can get your basic needs met so that you can begin to thrive again.”
The concept began two years ago when Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies launched a mobile health clinic on Oahu offering similar services.
“Through those two years, we always heard through our partners that there is a need on the Big Island,” Wheeling said. “Most people know Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies for our social services, but what they don’t know is how we’ve expanded into this medical arm.”
Funding for the clinic came from both state and federal grants as well as individual and private donations.
A new office location also opened in February in Kailua-Kona, with the mobile clinic van designed to offer the same services at East Hawaii Island locations.
Equipped with four-wheel drive, the van can provide care to families in traditionally underserved areas including in Hilo, Puna, Ocean View and Ka‘u.
“We have people that live far away from health care, and so this mobile van can actually go to them and meet many different needs around pregnancy, reproductive health, and basic family medicine for the whole family,” said Hawaii County Council member Jennifer Kagiwada. “One of the key things is closing those gaps in services, especially on our island.”
Clinical services are provided by a team of professionals including licensed midwives and lactation consultants who come over weekly and provide prenatal, birthing, and postpartum care.
Nurse practitioners also are on staff to provide reproductive health education and services including contraception, pregnancy testing, early-term medical abortions, along with sexually transmitted disease screenings and treatment.
“We don’t have Planned Parenthood on this island,” Kagiwada said. “So I’m extremely excited there’s a resource here for teens and young people around reproductive health.”
The van also is equipped with an exam table and seating area along with medical equipment used for vaccinations, blood work and other primary care services.
“This really is not in place of any of the health care that we have on the island,” Kagiwada said. “It’s really filling a different need for things that we aren’t currently meeting right now.”
The van also features a shower, toilet and bathing station to support homeless individuals.
“It’s trauma-informed care,” said Laura Acasio, a former state senator. “Being able to shower and feel safe in a space where you can get medical attention really shifts the nervous system for someone who’s really struggling.”
The van has a rotating schedule of locations, but appointments can be made by visiting the website and filling out a patient intake form at www.hmhb-hawaii.org/mana-mama/ or by calling (808) 737-5805.
“Oftentimes, medical care is far and in-between because folks may not have reliable transportation or money for gas,” Acasio said. “In this case, the mobile clinic will be a one-stop-shop for multiple families to access.”
The Mana Mama clinic accepts many insurance plans, and encourages those interested to call and see if they are covered.
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com.