A county-run mobile health van quietly pulled onto the De Anza College campus last Friday and started doing something Cupertino has never had before: offering walk-in primary care through a public clinic. The van, billed by county officials as a public health clinic on wheels, is the city’s first county-run public clinic, aimed at students and nearby low-income residents who might otherwise skip basic care.
Clinic hours and services
The mobile unit is scheduled to be on campus every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is open to adults 18 and older, no appointment required. Staff can treat minor illnesses and injuries, handle family planning, perform physical exams and basic health screenings, give adult vaccinations and provide referrals to specialty care, as reported by San José Spotlight.
A long push for local care
County and college officials have spent years trying to bring a West Valley clinic to life. Early visions centered on a permanent building, but budget realities pushed the project into a mobile pilot designed to test demand and nail down which services are most needed. Former Supervisor Joe Simitian and other local leaders championed the idea as part of a broader push to give West Valley residents easier access to county clinics, according to Supervisor Joe Simitian.
Who it will serve and what to expect
Officials say the clinic will focus on students in the Foothill–De Anza district as well as low-income residents of Cupertino, Los Altos, Saratoga, Sunnyvale and west San Jose. A 2018 De Anza survey found that more than half of respondents reported transportation, food or housing insecurity, and nearly one fifth said they had experienced homelessness, underscoring the need for on-campus care that does not require a car or a stable address, according to De Anza College. The program accepts most insurance plans and may charge for some services. It is operated by Santa Clara Valley Healthcare and set up as a year-long pilot, as reported by The Mercury News. “Access to preventative primary care helps young adults avoid emergency-room visits later,” Dr. Clifford Wang told The Mercury News.
Operator and logistics
The van is part of the county’s Santa Clara Valley Healthcare network, which runs hospitals and clinic sites across Santa Clara County. County officials say the pilot will help them decide whether a permanent brick-and-mortar clinic should eventually land on De Anza’s campus or somewhere else in the West Valley, according to Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.
How to access care
Students and community members can find the mobile clinic parked on De Anza’s campus on Wednesdays during its regular hours. Students can also contact De Anza Student Health Services at 408-864-8732 for referrals, low-cost resources and help making appointments. For more on the launch and local reaction, see coverage from San José Spotlight.
