The Care Van® program celebrated 10 years of providing access to preventive health care services and reducing barriers to care, highlighting the growth and accomplishments of the past decade. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana started the Care Van program in 2014 and continues to play a significant role through its support of the Caring Foundation of MontanaSM, which in turn supports and administers the Care Van program.
Care Van’s first event was a flu shot clinic at Broadwater Elementary School on Oct. 24, 2014, in Helena. Since then, the Care Van program’s three vans have canvassed the state. Immunizations remain the focus of Care Van, but over the years has expanded partnerships and access to additional services. These include oral screenings and basic dental care, vision screenings, STI testing, and sports physicals. The large Care Vans have also been used to deliver goods when called upon, such as air purifiers to communities affected by wildfires, food packs to communities in need through a partnership with the Montana Food Bank Network and drinking water to communities where additional resources are in demand.
“It’s wonderful celebrating the impact and accomplishments of the Care Van program, and it is hard to believe it is already 10 years old,” said BCBSMT President Lisa Kelley. “The Care Van program is an important initiative that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana is proud to support. Access to preventive health care services can be difficult in Montana, and it’s inspiring to see barriers to health care being reduced through the Care Van services.”
Care Van program highlights:
- The program has helped provide access to preventive care to 49 of 56 Montana counties since 2014.
- The three vans have traveled more than 200,000 miles combined.
- More than 12,000 child immunizations and 17,000 adult immunizations have been provided through collaborating with program partners.
- The program has also provided access to more than 8,000 additional services, including dental and vision screenings, sports physicals, STI testing, and other preventive care.
- Care Van has helped host more than 1,000 events and impacted more than 40,000 individuals across the state.
The Caring Foundation of Montana oversees the Care Van program, with funds raised going directly to supporting access to services. This allows Care Van events to be no or low-cost for all individuals, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. The annual Governor’s Cup road race, presented by BCBSMT, is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser. All race registration fees and sponsorship dollars support the work of the Care Van program.
“Our partnerships with county health departments and other providers are key, and through those we have been delivering impactful results for Montanans for a decade,” says Care Van administrator Bryan Haines. “People are so grateful at each event, whether it’s because we drove seven hours to help bring care to their rural town or because we covered the cost of a life-saving immunization they may not have been able to afford.”
For more information, including a schedule of upcoming Care Van events, please visit www.caringfoundationmt.org.