GLENDALE–As part of its ongoing work and efforts through the County Covid-19 Community Equity Fund (CCCEF), ARS Social Services hosted its first-ever on-site Covid-19 mobile vaccination clinic on Saturday, April 10 at its main office in Glendale.
In collaboration with Remedia Care Clinic and the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, the event was open to any adult with an underlying health condition, employed and working in an eligible sector, or over the age of 50. Although 150 clients were pre-registered, turnout was higher than expected with close to 175 community members receiving their first doses of the Moderna vaccine that day.
“It was a convenient and comfortable way for people to get vaccinated in their own community, especially in a trusted environment like the ARS Social Services office where you’re assisted by hardworking, devoted staff. By getting vaccinated, I felt I am helping keep myself and my community safe from this awful pandemic,” said Rosa Donato, a local community member who received her vaccine on-site.
Participants were asked to register in advance using an online link and show up promptly to the ARS office at their scheduled appointment times. This proved to be a bit difficult for the community as many either lacked internet or the technical skills required to navigate the site.To alleviate this digital gap, staff assisted interested clients over the phone and facilitated the registration process from start to finish. This included recording each client’s basic personal information, medical insurance information, health history, and selecting a convenient appointment time slot.
The day of the event, the team continued to offer their support and assistance by providing in-person translation services throughout the entire vaccination process. This began with signing-in to confirm identity and medical insurance matched their registration, getting their blood pressure checked prior to vaccination, answering the medical history questionnaire, receiving the actual vaccination, and finally sitting through the 15-minute waiting period to monitor any physical reactions.
“Saturday couldn’t have gone any better! Our CCCEF team had volunteered at several vaccine clinics already, but none like Remedia Care- their staff took each patient’s blood pressure, confirmed prior responses to the online questionnaire, and even surprised all of us with a little Armenian! Our clients definitely felt very comfortable and at ease throughout the experience. ARS Social Services looks forward to seeing all participants again in 28 days on Saturday, May 8, 2021 to receive their second and final doses at our office ,” said Vic Keossian, ARS CCCEF Program Supervisor.
If you missed this vaccine opportunity and are still interested in being vaccinated, contact ARS Social Services at for more information about similar events in the future.
Whether COVID-19 poses a language barrier, technical difficulty or any other obstacle, ARS Social Services is here to help. If you or a loved one have been impacted by COVID-19 in any way, please call ARS Social Services at (818) 241-7533 to find out how the team can be of service to you. The division offers free food assistance, housing navigation, senior services, case management, access and linkages to public benefits, employment support and more year round. Staff are also able to facilitate COVID-19 testing and vaccination scheduling during these unprecedented times.
ARS Social Services is committed to providing comprehensive social services to low-moderate individuals and families through offices located in Glendale, Pasadena, and Hollywood. Services include case management, completion of forms, assistance with housing and transportation issues, senior services, Covid-19 outreach and system navigation services, employment services, referrals, English as a Second Language/Life Skills classes, refugee youth mentoring, homelessness prevention, and more. The ARS Social Services main office can be reached at (818) 241-7533 or socialservices@arswestusa.org.