Contact:
Elizabeth Blevins, Director, Office of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 464-4854
940 Second Street – Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
E-mail: eblevins@shawnee.edu 
Web site: www.shawnee.edu

            As of February, the Mobile Health Unit (MHU) has been in active service at Shawnee State University for a full calendar year.
            The MHU is a mobile medical facility with two exam rooms, video equipment and two staff nurse practitioners.
            The unit serves fives counties including Carter and Greenup counties in Kentucky, and Adams, Lawrence and Scioto counties in Ohio. Plans are being made to expand the service area. SSU’s own health science students contribute to the MHU.
            “Almost every student in health sciences at Shawnee State University has contributed to the MHU or its programming,” director of development, Eric Braun said.
            The MHU served more than 500 people in the past year. In one case, MHU nurses discovered a patient had breast cancer and referred the patient for treatment. As a functional centerpiece of the Department of Nursing, the MHU is enabled with a grant from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation to help fund an occupational “Bringing Health to You” program at regional employers, such as the Scioto County Joint Vocational School, OSCO, USEC and Big Sandy Superstore.
            Because of the MHU, SSU received a Breast Health and Cancer Prevention grant from the Komen Foundation in 2009.
            SSU received notice in February that Komen will be awarding an additional grant partially funding the unit’s operations and maintenance in 2010.