JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Positioned on Jacksonville’s Westside, a mobile health clinic is playing a vital role in helping families catch up on essential pediatric checkups. By bringing medical care directly to where families are, the clinic addresses issues of timing and accessibility, which parents say makes a significant difference.

The primary objective is to ensure that children’s healthcare needs are met promptly. Families participating in this initiative have expressed that mobile clinics provide a highly convenient solution.

Meosha Kennedy, accompanied by her daughter, visited the mobile health clinic organized by Sunshine Health in Jacksonville’s Westside on Tuesday.

“The timing was perfect; they allowed me to schedule it effortlessly,” Meosha Kennedy shared.

Kennedy mentioned that after receiving a call from Sunshine Health, she decided to take advantage of the opportunity to visit the clinic.

“I was like you called at the right time because I’ve been meaning to look into changing her pediatrician… so we’re here now,” Kennedy told First Coast News.

Sunshine Health says missing milestone checkups can endanger a child’s health. The CDC says routine well-child visits can help identify the estimated 1 in 6 children who have a developmental disability.

That’s a big reason why this mobile clinic is now checking Medicaid members ages 17 and under for free.

President and CEO of Sunshine Health, Charlene Zein, says this is a way to get members connected to wellness and care.

“The reason we went the mobile unit route is because at any given time, about 45% of our members can’t be reached. Some of that is because of lack of updated contact information,” Zein said.

Zein tells First Coast News that the new mobile clinic is a way for members to be part of a primary care practice on a long-term basis. The mobile unit will travel throughout the state of Florida.

“So, meeting them where they are means showing up in their communities and putting this mobile unit in a place that’s easily accessible to them,” Zein said.

Parents can schedule an appointment for the mobile clinic by going on Sunshine Health’s website and scanning the QR code to register.