Montgomery, AL- Alabama State University has partnered with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and the Montgomery Housing Authority (MHA) to provide free COVID-19 testing for residents of a local housing community.
President Quinton T. Ross, Jr., made the announcement on Monday, May 4, that a drive-up clinic for eligible residents of the William B. Paterson Court Housing Community will be held on the University’s campus beginning Wednesday, May 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“The University is always proud to initiate impactful CommUniversity activities within the River Region,” said Ross. “During our regular academic sessions, our students, faculty and staff are very active in community service. Of course, the challenges of the Coronavirus have altered our normal engagement activities. The clinic gives us an opportunity to continue with one of the longstanding missions of our University — service to others.”
The drive-up clinic is being coordinated by ASU’s Health Center, which developed the proposal for the clinic and established the ADPH and MHA partnerships.
“When Dr. Ross presented the idea, I was excited to engage the team and make this project a reality,” said Dr. Denise Loyd-Davis, nurse practitioner for the ASU Health Center. “We saw a need in our community, and we had desire to help to fill this particular need of this underserved area.”
Members of the Health Center’s staff were trained by ADPH to conduct and process the COVID-19 tests.
“The ADPH training and protocol review was excellent. The partnership allowed them (ADPH) to provide us with the necessary PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to operate this project. We wanted to ensure that our staff and volunteers are prepared and safe during the clinic sessions,” Davis added.
The Patterson Court community has more than 300 residents. The Housing Authority will reach out to residents to determine those who need to be tested.
“MHA’s Department of Resident Services will contact each household. Appointments will be scheduled for those who are currently exhibiting multiple symptoms associated with COVID-19. Residents who have symptoms, but are unable to schedule an appointment, will be able to drive up to the clinic to request testing,” said Brandie Townsend, director of Resident Services for MHA. “MHA is excited about our partnership with ASU and the opportunity to provide a much-needed service to our residents.”
Ross says the ASU initiative has the potential to go beyond the borders of the campus.
“We believe that this is a great opportunity for the University to continue to have a positive impact on the community in the midst of this pandemic. With the success of this initial effort, we could possibly expand to similar communities within Montgomery as the necessary resources are made available to us. We are truly excited about this opportunity,” Ross added.
Residents may call the Housing Authority Hotline at 334-206-7111 or 334-799-4379 to inquire about their eligibility to participate in the free COVID-19 tests.
All rights reserved, Gumptown Magazine. Copyright 2020.
