Old Dominion University Community Care, in the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences' Ellmer School of Nursing, will host its third annual Back-to-School community health event 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center.
Through a collaborative effort between Community Care and local partners, 125 Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences students and faculty will provide free school and sports physical exams to K-12 students who are from underserved communities or who lack access to care. Vision, dental and hearing screenings will also be available.
鈥淔or example, we will have many children who are well above the federal poverty level and have insurance but are not able to be seen by their pediatrician before the start of school due to lack of appointments and access to care,鈥 said Tammy Speerhas, director of Community Care.
Children in Hampton Roads are required to obtain a physical exam before entering kindergarten or if they are new to the school system to remain eligible for classes.
鈥淭his is an important social determinant of health that we try to address by assisting our community,鈥 she said.
More than 100 children and their families are expected to attend, making this the largest community event the University has ever hosted. Community Care has partnered with outside providers to offer additional food and health resources. Providers include:
- Food Lion will provide 150 bags of non-perishable food items.
- Children鈥檚 Hospital of the King鈥檚 Daughter (CHKD) Health for Life program will have a resource table.
- Virginia Department of Health will have a resource table.
- Sam鈥檚 Club will offer discounted memberships.
Trader Joe鈥檚 and Sam鈥檚 Club have also made additional donations to provide snacks for volunteers.
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