Pediatric Mobile Services Program
Care on Wheels
Virtua's Pediatric Mobile Services provides children from infancy to age six in communities throughout South Jersey with health services they need.
The fully-equipped program on wheels offers a range of services, including dental and developmental screenings, blood lead level testing, lead poisoning education, flu shots, back-to-school physicals, vision and hearing screenings, health education, community resources, and referrals to specialized services.
Call 609-304-0151 to schedule an appointment.
Calendar of Screenings and Clinics
Check out our monthly calendar to see days/times when Virtua Pediatric Mobile Services will be coming to a neighborhood near you. The schedule is subject to change; please check back regularly for updates.
PLEASE NOTE: we have limited capacity and all events operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Start times for physicals are listed below and we may reach capacity within a short time frame.
Monday, December 2
Flu Clinic - Yocum Elementary School, 748 N. Forklanding Road, Maple Shade, 8 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Respond-North Camden. 554 State St., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Tuesday, December 3
Physicals & Lead Screenings - Respond-Fairview, 3007 Fenwick Road, Camden, 8:30 am
Flu Clinic - Under the Sun-Marlton, 701 Lippincott Dr., Marlton, 8 am - Noon
Wednesday, December 4
Developmental Screenings - El Centro Comunal Borincano Day Care, 438 Martin Luther King Blvd., Camden, 9 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Yorkship Elementary, 1251 Collings Ave., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Thursday, December 5
Dental Screenings - Billingsport Elementary School, 441 Nassau Ave., Paulsboro, 9 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Cathedral Of Love, 139 Beverly Rancocas Road, Willingboro, 8 am - Noon
Friday, December 6
Flu Clinic - Under the Sun-West Deptford, 1111 Mantua Pike, West Deptford, 8 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Beverly City School, 601 Bentley Ave., Beverly, 8 am - Noon
Saturday, December 7
Flu Clinic - Clementon Elementary School, 4 Audubon Ave., Clementon, 8 am - Noon
Monday, December 9
Flu Clinic - ECDC, 1602 Pine St., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Respond-Vine, 320 Vine St., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Tuesday, December 10
Physicals & Lead Screenings - Clementon Elementary School, 4 Audubon Ave., Clementon, 8:30 am
Flu Clinic - Under the Sun-Stratford, 44 Berlin Ave., Stratford, 8 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - St. Joseph's Child Dev Center, 17 Church St., Camden, 1 - 5 pm
Wednesday, December 11
Developmental Screenings - El Centro Comunal Borincano Day Care, 438 Martin Luther King Blvd., Camden, 9 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Cream Elementary School, 1875 Mulford St., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Thursday, December 12
Dental Screenings - Billingsport Elementary School, 441 Nassau Ave., Paulsboro, 9 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Mosaic Early Learning-Oaklyn, 33 W. Haddon Ave., Oaklyn, 8 am - Noon
Friday, December 13
Physicals & Lead Screenings - Acelero Learning Center, 331 Grand Ave., Camden, 9 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Children of America-Cinnaminson, 1105 US-130, Cinnaminson, 8 am - Noon
Monday, December 16
Flu Clinic - Coopers' Poynt, 201 State St., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Discovery Corner Child Care, 53 Haddonfield Road, Ste. 322, Cherry Hill, 8 am - Noon
Tuesday, December 17
Physicals & Lead Screenings - Acelero Learning - KROC Center, 1865 Harrison Ave., Camden, 8:30 am
Flu Clinic - El Centro Comunal Borincano Day Care, 438 Martin Luther King Blvd., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - St. Joseph's Child Dev Center, 17 Church St., Camden, 1 - 5 pm
Wednesday, December 18
Developmental Screenings - ABG Grow Daycare, 533 Sicklerville Road, Williamstown, 9 am - Noon
Flu Clinic - Acelero-Mcguire, 150 Boyd St., Camden, 8 am - Noon
Thursday, December 19
Flu Clinic - Malberg Early Childhood Center, 1220 Winston Way, Cherry Hill, 8 am - Noon
Dental Screenings - Billingsport Elementary School, 441 Nassau Ave., Paulsboro, 9 am - Noon
Friday, December 20
Physicals & Lead Screenings - Acelero-27th St., 804 N. 27th St., Camden, 8:30 am
Flu Clinic - KinderCare Learning Center, 240 Madison Ave., Lumberton, 8 am - Noon
December 23-28
Closed - Happy Holidays!
Monday, December 30
Flu Clinic - Cinnamon Sticks Learning Center, 600 US-130, Cinnaminson, 8 am - Noon
Tuesday, December 31
Flu Clinic - Osborn Family Health Center, 1601 Haddon Ave., Camden, 8 am - Noon
About the Program
Such tremendous need exists in the medically underserved areas across Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties, and our youngest residents, children from infancy to age six, often quietly suffer the most. Without access to routine exams and screenings, children with developmental delays and other health concerns are not identified early, so issues go undetected and unaddressed during a critical period of their development.
For children with limited access to nutritious foods and basic dental hygiene, it is often too late for healthy teeth by the time they get to kindergarten and see a dentist for the first time. Furthermore, children who do not receive their immunizations are not permitted to attend public school, leaving them at home for weeks and months at a time in aging houses and apartments that expose them to dangerous levels of lead.
Through a generous gift from the Joseph Lacroce Foundation, Virtua's Pediatric Mobile Services Program aims to address the health needs of children across South Jersey. The mobile program will bring pediatric services directly to those children who are living in medically underserved and impoverished urban and rural communities across Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties.
Virtua’s Pediatric Mobile Services Program team will provide a range of services, including:
- Developmental screenings
- Oral health education and dental screenings
- Flu Shots
- Lead blood level screenings
- Lead education for healthy homes
- Back-to-school physicals
- Vision and hearing screenings
- Community resources
- Referrals to specialized services
The Pediatric Mobile Services Program will also equip parents with the knowledge and resources they need to help their children grow and thrive.
Partnerships
Collaboration with community partners is the key to our success. Thank you to our partners:
- Acelero Head Start Centers
- CAMcare
- Camden County Board of Social Service
- Center for Family Services: Head Start Early Childhood
- Cherry Hill Free Clinic
- Cooper’s Ferry Partnership
- CP&P Camden South/North
- Hispanic Family Center
- Hope Works
- KROC Center
- New Jersey Early Intervention System (NJEIS)
- NJCEED
- Puerto Rican Unity for Progress
- Sambulance: Special Needs Safety Education
- Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative (SNJPC)
- Virtua Foundation
- Virtua Mobile Farmer’s Market
- Virtua Pediatric Early Intervention Program
- Volunteers of America—Anna Sample Complex
Powered by Philanthropy
This program is made possible, in part, by Virtua’s generous philanthropic partners. To make a gift, please visit GiveToVirtua.org.
Thank you to the following supporters:
Health Facts
High quality early intervention services can change a child's developmental trajectory and improve outcomes for children, families, and communities.
Services to young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays have been shown to positively impact outcomes across developmental domains, including health, language and communication, cognitive development and social/emotional development. Benefits to society include reducing economic burden through a decreased need for special education.
Early social/ emotional development and physical health provide the foundation upon which cognitive and language skills develop.
Decades of rigorous research show that children’s earliest experiences play a critical role in brain development. The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University has summarized this research:
- Neural circuits, which create the foundation for learning, behavior and health, are most flexible or “plastic” during the first three years of life. Over time, they become increasingly difficult to change.
- Persistent “toxic” stress, such as extreme poverty, abuse and neglect, or severe maternal depression can damage the developing brain, leading to lifelong problems in learning, behavior, and physical and mental health.
- The brain is strengthened by positive early experiences, especially stable relationships with caring and responsive adults, safe and supportive environments, and appropriate nutrition.
- Early social/ emotional development and physical health provide the foundation upon which cognitive and language skills develop.
- High quality early intervention services can change a child’s developmental trajectory and improve outcomes for children, families, and communities.
- Intervention is likely to be more effective and less costly when it is provided earlier in life rather than later.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, tooth decay is among the most common chronic conditions of childhood. One in 5 children, aged five to 11, and 1 in 7 children, aged 12 to 19, have at least one untreated cavity.
These numbers are higher for children from minority and low-income families. African-American and Hispanic children are more likely than white children to have cavities in their primary (baby) teeth and are twice as likely as white children to have untreated cavities. The disparity in untreated cavities continues into the teen years.
A report by the Pew Charitable Trusts states that untreated tooth decay "can cause pain and infection that may lead to difficulty eating, speaking, socializing and sleeping, as well as poor overall health." Tooth decay can also contribute to low self-esteem and dental health problems.
Dental problems can also adversely affect both school attendance and performance. A report issued by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2000, estimated that more than 51 million school hours were lost annually due to dental-related illnesses.
Click here for more informationThere is no safe level of lead in children. As lead exposure continues to be an ongoing health challenge, it is important that parents take precautionary measures to keep their children safe and healthy. While exposure can damage a child’s learning and development, it can be prevented.
Lead can disrupt the normal growth and development of a child’s brain and central nervous system. While lead paint lead paint in homes built before 1978 remains the largest contributor to elevated blood lead levels in children, there are many different lead exposure sources, including water from leaded pipes and imported toys, candy, spices, jewelry, cosmetics, herbal remedies, and pottery.
The New Jersey Department of Health provides resources for parents to stay informed so child lead exposure can be avoided.
Who Is at Risk?
- Children under the age of 6 years because they are growing so rapidly and because they tend to put their hands or other objects into their mouths.
- Children from all social and economic levels can be affected by lead poisoning, although children living at or below the poverty line who live in older housing are at greatest risk.
- Children of some racial and ethnic groups and those living in older housing are disproportionately affected by lead. For example, 3% of black children compared to 1.3% of white children have elevated blood lead levels.
Contact Information
Virtua Pediatric Mobile Services
609-304-0151
pediatricmobileservices@virtua.org
Our Team
Monica Nolasco
Program Coordinator
mnolasco@virtua.org
Jennifer Brown
Driver/Courier
jbrown20@virtua.org
Kirsti Lim
Special Education Teacher/Developmentalist
klim@virtua.org
Debbie Vickers
Dental Hygienist
dvickers@virtua.org
Sue McCleery
Pediatric Nurse
smccleery@virtua.org
Kimberly Vicente
Community Health Worker
kvicente@virtua.org
Maria Emerson
Director, Rehabilitation Services
memerson@virtua.org
Caring for Children in Our Community
Making sure your child grows into a healthy adult starts from the moment they are born. Virtua’s Pediatric Mobile Services is dedicated to providing developmental screenings, essential health services and education to children in our community, at the convenience they need.