VICTORIA, British Columbia, July 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, TELUS and the Victoria Cool Aid Society announced the expansion of their partnership through TELUS’ Health for Good program, with the launch of a second new mobile health clinic to help address the increasing need for primary health care and provide support for people experiencing homelessness in the capital region. To date, the existing mobile clinic has enabled more than 14,000 patient encounters from citizens throughout the greater Victoria area. The addition of the brand new Cool Aid Mobile Health Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, will double patient capacity, providing much needed services to the over 1,500 individuals experiencing homelessness on any given night in Victoria. Our new Cool Aid Mobile Health Clinic will expand the program’s reach and service offerings to provide support for sex workers and referrals for dental and physiotherapy services. With the help of local partners, it will also dedicate one day each week to assisting Indigenous community members.
“At TELUS, we are driven by our collective desire to leverage our technological and human innovation to enable better health outcomes for people around the world,” said Jill Schnarr, Chief Social Innovation and Communications Officer, TELUS. “Through our longstanding partnership with the Victoria Cool Aid Society, we are continuing to remove many of the barriers facing underserved and marginalized populations in Victoria by providing access to primary healthcare, mental wellness and addiction support services. By combining technology with human compassion, we are bringing healthcare directly to the communities and people who need it most, reminding our fellow citizens that they’re not alone and helping create a friendlier future for all.”
The new, custom built Cool Aid Mobile Health Clinic, powered by TELUS Health, was designed by ékm Architecture and is equipped with TELUS Wi-Fi network connectivity and TELUS Health electronic medical record (EMR) solutions. The mobile health clinic is staffed by physicians who specialize in addictions medicine, registered nurses with certified practice (expanded scope), as well as health outreach clinicians and peer workers, and will deliver various trauma-informed services, including:
- Primary healthcare such as routine testing, contraception, women’s health services, STI treatment, harm reduction services, and mental health care and counseling
- Specialized support services for sex workers; and
- Administrative aid, including helping clients complete BC Housing documentation.
“Bringing a second mobile clinic to the capital region further expands our community health centre model of care and provides services for those who experience barriers to accessing health care,” said Mary Chudley, director of health and support services at Cool Aid. “Many individuals, including those who are under-housed or experiencing homelessness, have not had access to primary care in years or do not have a documented medical history that can be referenced by healthcare practitioners. Our existing mobile clinic serves 25 locations on a bi-weekly rotational basis, and we expect this second clinic to more than double our capacity.”
With the addition of the second Cool Aid Mobile Health Clinic, more community partners are able to benefit, like the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness society - a key community partner that provides culturally supportive affordable housing and services to help end Aboriginal homelessness on Vancouver Island.
“The Cool Aid mobile health clinics are critical in assisting us to meet the care of the people we serve and house.” said Fran Hunt-Jinnouchi, executive director for the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness. “We are so appreciative of the high standard of care received as a result of this partnership and its weekly visits. It brings consistency of service, and access to an Indigenous physician at two of our culturally supportive housing sites on a weekly basis."
This additional mobile health clinic was made possible with the support of Victoria Foundation, Connor, Clark & Lunn Financial Group, The Jawl Foundation and Times Colonist and demonstrates the power of businesses working together with community organizations to address pressing societal issues.
For more information about TELUS Health for Good, visit telus.com/healthforgood.
About TELUS Health for Good
Since 2014, TELUS Health for Good has been connecting underserved individuals to the medical and mental health care they need using the power of technology. Backed by a commitment of $13 million through 2026, TELUS Mobile Health Clinics have now supported over 170,000 patient visits across 25 Canadian communities since inception in 2014. Equipped with TELUS electronic medical records technology, and fuelled by compassion, our Mobile Health Clinics provide essential primary medical care to individuals living on the streets. The program also supports women experiencing marginalization with access to free TELUS Health MyCare Counselling sessions and supports low-income older adults to live more independently and enjoy peace of mind with subsidized access to TELUS LivingWell Companion™.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with more than $18 billion in annual revenue and over 18 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.
Operating in 32 countries around the world, TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across strategic industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, banking, financial services and insurance, health care, and others.
TELUS Health is a global health care leader, which provides employee and family primary and preventive health care and wellness solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS’ strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventive and mental health outcomes covering 67 million lives, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.
Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS and our team to contribute $1.6 billion, including 2.2 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.
For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us at @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.
About the Victoria Cool Aid Society
The Victoria Cool Aid Society believes that everyone deserves home, health and community. We create opportunities for people who are homeless or living in poverty and we make a difference through housing, health and dental care, community, and emergency shelters. Founded in 1968, Cool Aid helps more than 12,000 people in the Capital region every year, at 20 locations in Victoria, Saanich and Langford, including more than 7,000 Community Health Centre patients. For more information about Cool Aid, visit coolaid.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Saara Rahikka
TELUS Media Relations
saara.rahikka@telus.com
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