A community health project supported by a $3.1 million grant
The UIC College of Nursing is investing $3.1 million in bringing health care to underserved areas of Illinois.
Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the project, called ENRICH—Enhancing Nursing Education and Retention by Initiation of Care Delivered by Mobile Health Units—supports (1) a mobile health and wellness unit serving disadvantaged rural areas of Illinois, and (2) a smartphone app for teens that puts up-to-date and accurate sexual health information in the palms of their hands.
This mobile health unit currently operates in Peoria County, providing services to teens and adults, including reproductive health services such as well visits, screening for sexually transmitted diseases, and contraceptive management. The “clinic on wheels” also provides point-of-care tests for pregnancy and reproductive health.
Kelly Rosenberger quote
In the mobile unit, nursing students get valuable hands-on experiences providing services that improve access and quality of care for underserved rural communities. Both patients and our practitioners benefit.
| Principal Investigator, ENRICH grant
Enhancing clinical training
In addition to providing needed services to patients, the mobile unit program has the dual purpose of providing clinical training to Doctor of Nursing Practice students, as well as other students at UIC Nursing’s six urban and rural campuses. Nurse practitioners training in the ENRICH mobile health program include family nurse practitioners, pediatric primary care nurse practitioners, women’s health nurse practitioners and nurse midwives.