Mohave County mobile health unit expands rural screenings but faces funding, equipment challenges
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Summary
The county's ARPA-funded mobile health unit provides preventive screenings and linkages to care across rural Mohave County, with blood-pressure, HbA1c and cholesterol checks the most common services. Staff reported mechanical problems, outreach gaps and an uncertain funding future once one-time ARPA dollars expire.
Lynn Valentine, nursing services manager, updated the board on Mohave County's mobile health unit, which was procured with ARPA funding and began community visits after a 2023 staff and equipment rollout.
Valentine said the unit's stated goal is to increase access to preventive services in underserved rural communities and reduce pressure on emergency and urgent-care services. ARPA funds were used to buy and outfit the vehicle (contract awarded to a Virginia company); production delays related to the post'COVID supply environment extended delivery. Clinical staffing expanded in 2023 and the unit began regular community rotations later that year.
Valentine provided program metrics for a July 2024'to'July 2025 reporting period: the most commonly administered screenings were blood-pressure monitoring, hemoglobin A1c testing and cholesterol checks. She said patient surveys show about 75'to'80 percent of visitors would have had no alternative source of care for the issue that brought them to the unit. The unit participates in local health fairs and maintains a rotating schedule across multiple communities; the schedule is adjusted for community demand.
Challenges include mechanical and structural issues in the outfitted vehicle (equipment shifting on rough roads, a faulty carbon-monoxide detector) and outreach gaps: some residents remain unaware of the service. Valentine said Mohave County Fleet and Public Works have aided repairs and troubleshooting. She also flagged a key sustainability concern: ARPA funding is one-time and the unit will need alternate ongoing funding (grants, billing capability) to continue long-term. The department said it is exploring billing options (including vaccine-related billing processes) but does not yet have billing capability in place.
Board members asked about mileage, billing Access (Arizona Medicaid managed care) and whether repeat-users were common. Valentine said some repeat visits occur; program staff offer anonymous client surveys and maintain monthly activity reporting. Several board members encouraged pursuing billing and other sustainable funding sources, noting the unit provides patient navigation and outreach services that can reduce downstream emergency care costs.
No board action was required; staff said they will continue to pursue grants, potential billing, and community outreach to sustain services beyond ARPA funding.
