PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Terros Heath is expanding its reach by taking health care services on the road. With the growing number of community members experiencing homelessness, the Terros vans try to meet people where they are by going to different parks across Phoenix.

“We’re just really trying to close the broken health care system when it comes to the unhoused,” said Cassandra Hagglund, a registered nurse who believes homelessness shouldn’t keep people from receiving health care.

The vans are part of a three-year, $2 million Outpatient Portable Pilot Program funded by the U.S. Department of Health Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Terros Health joined the City of Vernon, Calif. and the University of California, San Francisco, as the nation’s three organizations awarded SAMHSA-funded minority AIDS/HIV grants focused on homelessness and HIV prevention.

“We have two vans, so basically we have two units,” said Karen DiFrancesco, director of Recovery Services at Terros Health.

The retrofitted vans have retro-themed designs, “Disco” and “Groovy.” Each has a registered nurse, peer outreach specialist and clinician or counselor covering basic medical needs, including STI/HIV testing and even helping people make appointments with primary care or behavioral health.

“I am able to do, obviously, blood sugar checks, blood glucose, blood pressure checks,” Hagglund explained. “I do a lot of wound care. A lot of these people do have wounds that have been quite a struggle for them.”

Patients who are beyond those basic needs are sent to Terros Health clinics, and they’re driven there in one of the vans.

“You can hop on in, and we will bring you literally anywhere you need to go, medical-wise, of course,” said Hagglund. “We’ve brought people to DES (Arizona Department of Economic Security) for food stamp cards or health insurance.”

The program launched last month and already surpassed its objective of serving up to 150 in its first year, scheduling follow-up appointments for at least 80% of those with behavioral health needs. It has also referred at least 80% of those who test positive for an infectious disease for treatment.

Hagglund says some days are busier than others.

“Some days, it’s maybe five, and sometimes it’s 20,” she said. “I mean, of course, some people don’t really want too much from us, but what Terros offers, we are able to get them to those appointments and bring them to their park.”

The team hopes to also become the bridge to other services by offering housing resources, mobile charges and food. The vans are currently going out three times a week, but they’re hoping to eventually build out to five days. They’re also working to come up with a plan to let community members know where they are on what days.