Forrest General Hospital, SEMRHI Hold Health Fair for Community
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (June 3, 2024) Despite rainy weather, Hattiesburg-area residents turned out for Saturday’s Community Health & Resource Fair at Chain Park. A partnership of Forrest General Hospital and SEMRHI, those in attendance at the family-friendly event had the opportunity to receive free health screenings.
With 50 vendors, the event also included a live DJ, free food, snow cones, door prizes, and giveaways as part of the day’s activities. Health screenings included blood pressure, glucose (sugar), body mass index, and rapid 60-second HIV testing.
Attendees were able to wander among the booths and speak with representatives on a variety of topics – from medical needs and affordable housing to home care assistance and aids for the deaf or hard of hearing.
Representatives with Pine Grove Behavior Health and Addiction Services were on site providing depression screenings, while another booth handed out sunscreen. Some of the others in attendance included Canopy Children’s Solutions, Hope Clinic, MORA (Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency), Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, and City of Hattiesburg Community Development Division.
“The rainy weather didn’t deter people from coming out,” said Millie Swan, Forrest Health vice president. “Our goal in partnering with SEMRHI for this event was to help get useful health advice into the hands of our residents, while also offering free tests and allowing families to spend some time together having fun.”
Tonya Green, director of SEMRHI social services and manager of the Ryan White Program at SEMRHI, noted that “some patients experience barriers like transportation, limited income, and are not aware of the services that are available, so this is an opportunity for us to present all the resources they can get for healthcare in this area.”
ABOUT FORREST HEALTH
Forrest Health is a system of healthcare organizations formed to increase access to quality health care in south Mississippi. Forrest General Hospital is its flagship hospital. In addition to Forrest General, Forrest Health hospitals include: Highland Community Hospital, Picayune; Jefferson Davis Community Hospital & Extended Care Facility, Prentiss; Marion General Hospital, Columbia; Pearl River County Hospital & Nursing Home, Poplarville; Perry County General Hospital, Richton; and Walthall General Hospital, Tylertown. Forrest Health is also home to The Orthopedic Institute and Institute of Neuroscience, both in Hattiesburg, as well as a variety of healthcare clinics throughout its 19-county coverage area. For more information, visit www.forresthealth.org.
ABOUT SEMRHI
SEMRHI is a network of community health centers committed to providing access to affordable, quality, primary, and preventive healthcare to the communities we serve – regardless of a patient’s insurance status or ability to pay. Locations include health centers in Covington, Forrest, Lamar, Pearl River, and Perry County. For more information, visit www.semrhi.com.
