HEALS mobile clinic brings critical health services to local students

MADISON — For thousands of children in Madison County, a trip to the doctor, dentist, or eye clinic no longer means missing school or missing care.

Through its mobile medical and dental clinic, HEALS (Health Establishments at Local Schools) brings vital health services directly to schools, reaching the children most in need who might otherwise go without.

Speaking at a recent tour of the HEALS mobile clinic at the Madison Visionary Partners headquarters, Sandy Diaz de Leon, mobile clinic and dental services manager for HEALS, said the unit rotates among 13 schools.

“We go right now to eight schools in Huntsville City Schools and five schools in Madison City Schools,” said Diaz de Leon. “And during the summer, we’re planning to go every week to one of the schools in Madison and Huntsville.”

Diaz de Leon said they can provide medical services that include well-child exams, immunizations, vision and hearing screenings, bloodwork, and management of chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes.    

“We can refer to a lab for laboratories,” she said. “We can even see small, small lesions in the skin or if they have infections, or just a follow up appointments for asthma.”

Diaz de Leon said if a child requires treatment not available on the mobile unit, staff coordinates visits at other HEALS clinics inside schools such as Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary in Huntsville and Madison Cross Roads Elementary.

The mobile team includes rotating nurse practitioners overseen by a pediatrician as well as two dentists. Tuesdays are reserved for Huntsville City Schools and Thursdays are set aside for Madison City Schools.

Diaz de Leon said the work can have a tremendous impact for the children they serve. One student came in for a dental appointment and quietly told Diaz de Leon that she had a small bump that had been hurting for months. Lab work revealed a severe ear infection. 

“So we were able to communicate to the mom, tell her that her child had an ear infection that needed to be addressed, that it was causing a lymphatic problem, already,” said Diaz de Leon.

Because the child’s mother didn’t have transportation, they helped with the prescription and sent it home in the student’s backpack.

“We have many stories where many kids don’t have access to medical or dental services and sometimes there is a language barrier for them,” Diaz de Leon said.

After starting antibiotics, the student improved within two weeks.

“We very much understand that a lot of these kids feel defined or limited by their circumstances,” said HEALS Development Manager Risha Sanderson. “Healthy kids can stay in school, focus, and thrive.

“When they can’t, it can lead to a ripple effect of academic struggles, increased delinquency, or a continuation of the cycle of poverty and the inability to just be present to create a healthy, happy lives for themselves.”

Today, HEALS provides not only health care but also assistance with insurance, access to social services, and referrals for families in need.

“We treat children from infancy through age 19, even if they don’t attend a site school,” Sanderson said. “If the parents end up needing services, we will refer them to other organizations where we know that they’ll get the help that they need.”

HEALS receives funding through a combination of sources. Approximately 40% of its funding comes from billing Medicaid for services, while the remaining 60% is generated through grants, fundraising, and individual donations. 

Community partners play a crucial rol,e as well. Huntsville Hospital provides grants through its Community Health Initiative, and Madison Visionary Partners recently awarded funding to support HEALS’ mobile services in Madison. 

“At Madison Visionary Partners, we believe strong communities are built through collaboration and care,” said Christina Hearne, Executive Director of MVP. “We are proud to support HEALS with this grant as they continue their vital work providing accessible healthcare to children.

“Their mission aligns perfectly with our commitment to improving quality of life for all who call Madison home.”

Above all, HEALS aims to create a “medical home” for kids — a safe, supportive place where their health needs are met.

“HEALS is just there for the kids, but we wouldn’t be known without the Huntsville City Schools or Madison City Schools partnership,” Diaz de Leon said. “It’s just teamwork from everyone.”  

Founded in 1998, HEALS has served more than 50,000 children with free, school-based pediatric care, including medical, dental, and optometry services.