FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Jennifer Bisbee, APR
407.257.4667 or
Jennifer@BisbeeAndCo.com
Free back-to-school physicals for uninsured children
Available beginning July 31 at Shepherd’s Hope locations in Orange and Seminole counties
Orlando, Fla. (June 28, 2017) – Back-to- school physicals are a summertime ritual for school-aged children and their families. But, for the estimated 27,000 children in Central Florida who are uninsured, this annual rite of passage can be out of reach. For the fourth consecutive year,
Shepherd’s Hope, in partnership with
Nemours Children’s Health System, is offering free back-to-school physicals and other medical services for local uninsured and underinsured families at three locations between July 31 and August 10.
The free back-to-school physicals will include general health assessments and sports physicals (minus immunizations) as well as vision and hearing screenings at select locations with a Nemours specialist. In addition, mammogram screenings will be available for women accompanying their children at the Longwood Shepherd’s Hope Health Center location in conjunction with the Florida Hospital for Women Mobile Wellness Coach.
To qualify, children must be under age 18 and uninsured. The required Florida Department of Health form (DOH 3040) will be issued following completion of the physical examination which meets the Florida state requirement for enrollment in public or private school. Appointments must be scheduled in advance.
Physicals will be conducted at the following Shepherd’s Hope health clinic locations. Appointments can be made by calling (407) 876-6699, ext. 243:
Longwood Shepherd’s Hope Health Center
The Sharing Center Plaza, 600 N. US Hwy 17-92, Suite #124, Longwood, FL 32750
- Monday, July 31 | 9 a.m. to noon
- Thursday, August 3 | 9 a.m. to noon
- Wednesday, August 9 | 9 a.m. to noon
Downtown Shepherd’s Hope Health Center
Orange County Medical Clinic, 101 S. Westmoreland Drive, Orlando, FL 32805
- Wednesday, August 2 | 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Dr. Diebel, Jr. Memorial Shepherd’s Hope Health Center
Samaritan Resource Center, 9833 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32817
- Tuesday, August 1 | 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Thursday, August 10 | 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“Uninsured children deserve to get the same start to their school year as their peers, and in partnership with Nemours, we are able to provide compassionate free health care to some of our youngest, most vulnerable, neighbors,” said Marni Stahlman, president and CEO of Shepherd’s Hope.
“This is our fourth year working side-by-side with Shepherd’s Hope on their free back-to-school physicals, and we really enjoy it,” said Al Torres, MD chief of critical care and transport at Nemours Children’s Hospital. “Everyone from Nemours who volunteered for Shepherd’s Hope wants to return, including me.”
About Shepherd’s Hope
Since 1997, Shepherd’s Hope has provided free medical services to the uninsured and underinsured by encompassing all faiths serving all faiths. Today, 20 years later, Shepherd's Hope has evolved to five free standing health centers in Orange and Seminole counties that cumulatively have provided 237,000 free, primary care and specialty care patient visits to uninsured men, women and children across Central Florida. A dedicated group of 2,300 licensed medical and general volunteers, 3 community hospital systems, 100 diagnostic/surgical providers and 23 multi-faith partners worked collaboratively in 2016 to provide 17,128 free patient visits and medical services to the uninsured, creating a beautiful collaboration that has Central Florida’s own Shepherd’s Hope regarded nationally as an exemplary model of health care. Learn more at ShepherdsHope.org or (407) 876-6699 ext. 229
About Nemours Children’s Health System
Nemours is an internationally recognized children’s health system that owns and operates the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, along with major pediatric specialty clinics in Delaware, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To learn more about Nemours visit http://www.nemours.org/welcome.html
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Editor’s note: download images from last year’s free back-to-school physicals here.