Grant to Help CSUSM Expand Mobile Wellness Initiative's Reach

Grant to Help CSUSM Expand Mobile Wellness Initiative's Reach

By Marilyn Huerta

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For many residents across North San Diego County, accessing basic preventive health services can be challenging.

Through the Mobile Wellness Initiative, Cal State San Marcos is helping bridge that gap while preparing students to become the next generation of community-centered health professionals. Thanks to new support from the Henry L. Guenther Foundation, the university is poised to expand that impact even farther.

The grant of $480,000 will enable CSUSM and the partnering departments and schools in the College of Education, Health and Human Services to enhance its Mobile Wellness Initiative, an interdisciplinary program that partners with Neighborhood Healthcare and other community organizations to bring health screenings, education and wellness resources directly to underserved communities throughout North County.

The initiative embodies CSUSM's commitment to community engagement by connecting student learning with meaningful service. Through hands-on experiences in real-world settings, students gain valuable professional skills while helping improve access to care for individuals and families who often face significant barriers to health services.

"At CSUSM, we believe that learning and community service go hand in hand," said Rachael Dombrowski, an associate professor of public health and a leader of the initiative. "This support allows us to deepen our impact in the community while providing students with invaluable experiences that prepare them to become collaborative, community-centered health professionals."

A key component of the grant is the purchase of a fully equipped mobile wellness van, which will significantly increase the program's capacity to serve communities throughout the region. The van will transport supplies for outreach events, including tents, tables, educational materials and screening equipment, while also providing a private and confidential space for wellness services and consultations.

As the only student-run mobile health program in North County, the Mobile Wellness Initiative brings together students and faculty from nursing, social work, public health, kinesiology, speech-language pathology and human development. Working across disciplines, participants address health needs through a holistic approach that reflects the complexity of community health challenges.

"The Mobile Wellness Initiative prepares our students to engage across various disciplines to help meet the health needs of our neighboring communities," said Matt Mincey, a nursing lecturer and the founding director of the initiative. "Our nursing and other CEHHS students will have more opportunities to engage with community partners and collaborating disciplines in the healthcare field, all while gaining patient care experience in our mobile classroom."

In partnership with Neighborhood Healthcare, a federally qualified health center serving communities across San Diego and Riverside counties, students help connect residents to preventive health services and critical community resources. Outreach efforts focus on underserved populations, including individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, as well as people experiencing homelessness, migrants, refugees and others with limited access to healthcare.

Many of the individuals served through the initiative face an increased risk of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. By bringing screenings, education and support directly into neighborhoods, the program removes transportation barriers and helps identify health concerns before they become more serious.

For students, the benefits extend beyond the classroom. The initiative offers opportunities to work alongside healthcare professionals, collaborate across disciplines and develop the cultural responsiveness and community engagement skills that are increasingly essential in today's healthcare workforce.

The grant also will support personnel, travel expenses, outreach supplies and a community health assessment that will help guide future programming and ensure that resources are directed where they are needed most.

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