Packard Teen Van 10th Anniversary
Giving Homeless and Uninsured Teens a Chance for a Healthy Future.

FALL 2006 -- Since 1996, the Mobile Adolescent Health Services Program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital has provided a medical home for thousands of homeless, uninsured, and underserved adolescents and young adults. Affectionately known as the Teen Van, the 38-foot long mobile clinic provides quality medical care, including nutrition education and mental health counseling, and works with teens to help them reduce risk-taking behaviors and prevent future health problems.

The nationally recognized program operates two days a week and rotates monthly through six sites in San Francisco, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties. All services are confidential and provided free of charge. The Teen Van is funded entirely through donations to Packard Children's Hospital. The Teen Van is affiliated with the Children's Health Fund, a national network of mobile and fixed health clinics for underserved youth.

To build trust, the Teen Van staff spends an hour during each patient's first visit taking a complete medical history and simply listening to his or her concerns.Over time, most patients make return visits and word of mouth helps draw new patients. In addition to providing direct service, the Teen Van also trains medical students, pediatric residents, and fellows, and conducts research on the health care needs of vulnerable teens.

Together with its six site partners that provide other services such as housing, schooling, job training, and legal aid, the Teen Van helps homeless and uninsured youth access the resources they need to build healthier lives.

	Teen Van by the Numbers
	Number of homeless adolescents in San Francisco: 2,500 Number of uninsured teens in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties: 50,000 Portion of patients who make return visits: 2/3 Portion of homeless patients who get off the streets, with the help of the Teen Van and its site partners: 2/3 Savings on future healthcare costs due to the prevention and early intervention provided by the Teen Van: $4 saved for every $1 spent now Teen Van annual budget: $400,000 Current number of visits to the Teen Van each year: 1,000 Percentage of annual budget covered by philanthropy: 100%