OKEECHOBEE, Fla. — For expecting mothers in Okeechobee, getting prenatal care isn't always easy.
The county doesn't have a hospital that delivers babies, so many women have to travel out of town for care. That's why a program called Mom Mobile is bringing services directly to them.
The program is already making a difference.
"Anything that happens, you can always call us," a nurse told Evelyn Allen.
Twenty-year-old Allen finds comfort in those reassuring words. She'll have support every step of the way through her pregnancy. That encouragement means a lot, because when Allen first learned she was pregnant, she was terrified.
"You know I was just getting my life on track and then boom, out of nowhere. I would say it was a very big surprise," she said.
Looking for support, Allen began searching for resources. She lives in rural Okeechobee County where options are limited. Then she discovered Mom Mobile.
"I couldn't find any resources and the resources I did find you have to come out of pocket for it, or they would expect you to do more and you can't. And it's hard, it's really hard to find places like this to come out to help you," she said.
Mom Mobile is maternity care on the move. The program started with the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition, bringing prenatal care and support directly to expecting moms and their families.
Watching its success from afar, Andrea Medellin with the Okeechobee Healthy Start Coalition wondered if the program could help families in her community too.
"In Okeechobee we have zero delivery hospitals. The closest delivery hospital is Fort Pierce or Highlands County, depending on which side of the community you live on," Medellin said.
The 38-foot mobile clinic is designed to offer care in a safe and welcoming environment. In Okeechobee, the clinic is stationed at the public library on West 16th Street every Tuesday.
The need for the service was evident right away. Fifteen women were seen during the first three days of operation, and appointment requests aren't slowing down.
"This bus looks like an hour-long visit for moms. It's intentional, it's specifically set not to serve more but to serve quality for our high-risk and need moms," Medellin said.
Allen calls the mom mobile a blessing.
"This place, I've gotten really lucky with this place," Allen said.
