Touro University Nevada Unveils 2nd Mobile Healthcare Clinic to Serve Opportunity Village
Touro University Nevada and Opportunity Village alongside faculty, staff and students, community partners, alumni and others unveiled the university’s second mobile healthcare clinic during a press conference held Thursday, November 10. The unveiling also featured an announcement of a $1.5 million-dollar donation from the Engelstad Family Foundation to fund the staffing and operations of the clinic.
The new mobile clinic, which features exterior artwork from the talented artists at Opportunity Village, will provide clients, caretakers and employees with basic healthcare while on site at all four of the Opportunity Village campuses as well as the Opportunity Village Thrift Store. The mobile clinic will be staffed by Touro medical students, under the supervision of faculty physicians and nurse practitioners, providing an opportunity to teach the students about the medical challenges faced by patients with developmental disabilities.
“We are very excited to form this remarkable partnership with Opportunity Village through which the clients served at all of their campuses can receive healthcare from our Touro Mobile Healthcare Clinic,” said Shelley Berkley, CEO and Senior Provost. “Our goal is to provide patients with quality medical care and to give our students valuable and important one-of-a-kind medical experience working with patients with developmental disabilities.”
In 2014 Touro established its first mobile healthcare clinic through the private support of donors. The inaugural clinic provides a variety of services to Southern Nevada’s homeless population including physical examinations, immunizations and wellness checks for children, wound care and more.
This second mobile clinic was made possible by support from the Engelstad Family Foundation, MGM Resorts Foundation, the Clark County Medical Society Alliance, Findlay Automotive Group/Findlay RV, Heiser Design, and Color Reflections. Representatives from all of these partner organizations were on hand for the commemorative unveiling ceremony.
“This is truly a landmark moment for our OVIPs and their parents and guardians”, said Bob Brown, President and CEO of Opportunity Village. “Touro and their partners have provided us with another important way to accomplish our mission of improving the lives of people with disabilities.”
The Touro Mobile Healthcare Clinic at Opportunity Village will allow providers to diagnose, treat, and write prescriptions for common illnesses, provide vaccines by appointment, treat minor wounds, abrasions and skin conditions, as well as provide a wide range of wellness services for both adults and children.
“The launch of this 2nd mobile clinic is a testament to the vision of our campus, Opportunity Village, and our donor partners to provide quality medical care to the Opportunity Village community,” said Dr. John Dougherty, dean of the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. “Touro students who will serve in this clinic will become more caring and compassionate physicians as a result of the time they spend with these amazing people and this experience will undoubtedly shape these students’ futures.”
About Touro University Nevada
Touro University Nevada (TUN) is a private, non-profit, Jewish-sponsored institution established to help address critical needs in health care and education and as a resource for community service in the state of Nevada. TUN opened its doors in 2004 and is now home to nearly 1,400 students, in a wide variety of degree programs including osteopathic medicine, physician assistant studies, education, nursing, occupational therapy and physical therapy. The university’s Henderson campus includes a multi-specialty health center and a multi-disciplinary Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. For more information on TUN, please visit www.tun.touro.edu or call 702- 777-8687.
About Opportunity Village
Opportunity Village was founded in 1954 by seven families who were determined to give their children with disabilities the best lives possible. Now, more than 60 years later, Opportunity Village is one of the most recognized and respected organizations of its type in the United States. Nevada’s largest employer of people with disabilities (who we call OVIPs), Opportunity Village serves nearly 3,000 individuals annually, providing vocational training, employment, habilitation and social recreation programs and services that make their lives more purposeful and interesting.
###
For media information, please contact:
Mandi McCary/ Dana Gifford
702-277-7107 / 702-219-0530
