The Montgomery County Council has unanimously approved a $450,000 initiative to start a mobile medical clinic for the county’s children. The county’s Department of Health and Human Services said in a release that the clinic will help provide primary care and necessary vaccinations for “uninsured, underinsured and under-resourced children” across the county.

The funds, procured through a special appropriation in the FY22 budget, will be matched by the Robert I. Schattner Foundation, which will donate up to $450,000 directly to the non-profit organization Casa Ruben, Inc., to pay the staff and cover operating expenses.

“During the pandemic, we’ve learned that we can’t just sit back and wait for folks to come to us for services, we have to go to them,” said Councilmember Andrew Friedson in a statement. “We have to do it on their turf, in their terms, in their language, in a way that is culturally competent. By partnering with local nonprofits and leveraging private dollars, this exciting effort will help us do that.”

The council advocated for this funding amid a drop in regularly scheduled youth vaccinations during the pandemic. The Montgomery County DHHS reports that State health data shows about 70% of recently arrived, uninsured youth 21 and under missed their recommended vaccines during the pandemic. While launching the mobile clinic, the county health department and Casa Ruben will work to identify children who need additional resources and are at risk of missing immunizations to enroll in school.

“There is nothing more important than the public health of our community,” said Council president Gabe Albornoz, chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, in a release. “We must meet communities where they are, in a culturally appropriate manner, to eliminate barriers to access quality care. This initiative will achieve both and reinforce our commitment to closing public health disparities in our community.”