If you go to a high school in the MVLA school district, you’ve probably seen a bright blue van stop by the school entrance every few weeks. That’s the Stanford Teen Health Van, a mobile clinic that aims to alleviate student health concerns. 

The Teen Van primarily visits high schools and community colleges and offers individuals ages 12-25 various health services, which include physicals, vaccines and counseling.

“[We give] health care to young people, mostly who don’t have insurance or don’t have access to a clinic or a doctor that they can go to for those issues,” said Health Van medical director Arash Anoshiravani. “We also happen to see anybody in the school, even if they have insurance, for issues around relationships and reproductive and sexual health care.”

Currently, the van is running through a rotation of nine schools, including Los Altos High and Mountain View High, to tend to students with prior appointments. Students can contact their school administrators to make an appointment.

“We act as a bridge to provide the health care that [students] need,” Anoshiravani said. “[We] try to connect them either to their regular sources of health care or see them over time and when they’re ready to see a regular clinic, then connect them to that.”

The Teen Van hopes to allow students to make their own appointments by February or March of this year, according to Rosa Maldonado, the assistant clinic manager at the Teen Van.

The Teen Van averages around 1,200 yearly visits and runs two days a week. To accommodate the high demand, staff are looking to add a third day while still managing their current goal of providing care to students.

“We provide help with mental health, psychological health, behavioral health,” said Anoshiravani. “Our future plans are to continue working with young people who need us to provide the care they need.”