Medical van brings health care to migrant workers

For 17 years, the Augusta-based Maine Migrant Health Program has traveled from farm to farm throughout Maine, offering basic health care and counseling to thousands of migrant workers, domestic seasonal workers and their families. The program's three mobile units typically include an exam room or two and are stocked with basic medical supplies, medication and the kind of equipment found in a family doctor's office. The vans are staffed by one or two medical professionals, a social worker and an outreach coordinator, paid and volunteer.

Recently, the program received $200,000 in grants from the Maine Health Access Foundation and tens of thousands more from the Massachusetts's-based Jane's Trust to buy a new van to replace the mobile unit the program started with 17 years ago.