Assistant Professor Cynthia Davis Speaks at Mobile Healthcare Conference
CDU Assistant Professor Cynthia Davis was recently a guest presenter at the Mobile Healthcare Association’s 20th Annual Conference held in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Mobile Healthcare Association is the leading membership-based organization of mobile healthcare providers in the U.S. and Canada.
Their mission is to promote and serve the mobile healthcare field to increase access to care for all.
Professor Davis was an invited guest speaker to share with the attendees best practices in implementing a mobile healthcare program for over 33 years.
She initiated the first Los Angeles County-wide pilot demonstration mobile HIV community outreach and testing program in 1991 with funding from the Magic Johnson Foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Pharmaceuticals, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
This Mobile Health Outreach Project (MoHOP) served runaway and homeless youth in Hollywood, beginning in 1992.
CDU’s MoHOP still continues to serve medically under-resourced populations residing in South Los Angeles as well as Los Angeles County as a whole.
Mr. Duane Renfro, who was a client of MoHOP in the early 90s, was asked to come to the conference as well to participate in the “Fireside Chat” with Professor Davis. Mr. Renfro’s presentation focused on how gaining access to primary health care in the 90s through MoHOP helped him form lifelong connections that motivated him to take care of himself and continue to seek quality healthcare over the years.
“I was deeply honored to share the story of MoHOP at the Mobile Healthcare Association’s 20th Annual Conference,” said Assistant Professor Cynthia Davis. “Over the past 33 years, our work has been driven by the belief that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Seeing how programs like MoHOP can transform lives, as shared by Mr. Renfro, reaffirms our commitment to serving medically under-resourced communities. Together, we can continue to break down barriers to care and create lasting health equity.”
Since its inception, MoHOP has provided services, including HIV screenings and primary healthcare, to over 70,000 Los Angeles County residents.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDU partnered with Kedren Health to deliver vaccines to over 20,000 residents and offer educational outreach, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Over 600 Mobile Healthcare Association members attended the conference in Fort Worth, Texas. The “Fireside Chat” between Professor Davis and Mr. Renfro was a highlight of the three day event and was very well received.