Partnership in Action

RFU’s Community Care Connection health outreach program continues improving the health of underserved populations through strategic partnerships with service organizations, foundations and community resource centers.

Since its inception in 2011, the Community Care Connection (CCC) has evolved from a single, refurbished mobile health vehicle to a brand-new, custom-designed, 40-foot mobile clinic supported by a fleet of three electric SUVs that allows program staff to visit multiple sites, restock the clinic mid–site visit if needed, and pick up and deliver supplies essential to creating healthier communities.

The positive impact the program makes on medically underserved communities in Lake County, Illinois, results from a multifaceted collaboration. That interprofessional group includes Lupe Rodriguez, APN, nurse practitioner and executive director of community engagement; Jeff Espina, MBA, vice president of clinical services; the CCC’s small but prolific team of providers and staff; Rosalind Franklin University administration; and the foundations, healthcare providers and community groups that support the CCC’s operations.