Whitney Young bus makes medical mobile

The Whitney Young's Mobile Health Unit will be parked in central spots all summer, offering free screenings to anyone who wants them.

"We believe very strongly in HIV testing for everyone, and s0 we provide free testing," said Mary Alice Russo, Director of Communications for the center. Free HIV testing is provided for anyone who walks through the door, she said. In this way, the center hopes to make HIV testing as normal as mammograms or prostate screening, she said. "We don't want there to be any stigma," she said.

The fully-equipped bus serves 5,700 clients annually, providing free HIV testing, other health screenings like blood pressure and heart rate, and outreach for substance abusers, said Steven Sawicki, Director of HIV Services at Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center in Albany.

The Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center is designed to meet disaparities in health care, "to provide help for people who don't get it from other places," Sawicki said. The mobile unit extends that idea one step further, taking care to people who can't get to the center, he said.

In the future, the bus could also provide diabetes testing and STD screenings.

The mobile health will be parked in several spots along Central Avenue, Sawicki said. Central is a great spot because it's active and diverse, and there are a number of other service providers in the area, he said. The bus also attends large public gatherings in nearby parks and at the Empire State Plaza.