CVS Health is expanding its Project Health program to offer mental health screenings, the company said this week.
Project Health provides free community screenings for a slew of health conditions including blood pressure, glucose level, cholesterol and body mass index, with the goal of identifying early risks for potential chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension.
Now, the program will also offer PHQ-2 assessments, which can identity people who should undergo further evaluation for depression. Following both the barometric and mental health screenings, patients can meet with a nurse practitioner who will provide follow-up or referrals if needed.
“Our events now serve more communities than ever, tapping into our CVS Pharmacy footprint and a vast network of local organizations to host our mobile units and help ensure transportation is not a barrier to receiving health services,” said Sheryl Burke, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and chief sustainability officer at CVS Health, in the release.
“We’re also broadening our services to include mental health screenings as we continue to see a need for accessible mental health care across the country," Burke added.
In addition to adding the mental health screenings, Project Health will expand to two new markets: Greensboro, North Carolina, and Petersburg, Virginia. It also plans to add 100 organizations this year as hosts for its mobile clinics in under-resourced communities, according to the announcement.
CVS said it plans to host 2,000 Project Health events this year.