Free medical, dental, and optical care are being offered in three counties in North Central Arkansas beginning Monday and continuing through June 12 to residents ages two and over. The services are being offered by the U.S. Department of Defense in partnership with the Delta Regional Authority. The Delta Regional Authority works to improve regional economic opportunity by helping to create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of the 10 million people who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state Delta region.
Tina Cole, Community and Economic Development Coordinator with the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District in Harrison, says the Ozark Highlands Innovative Readiness Training clinics will be set up in Mountain Home, Yellville and Marshall.
The Innovative Readiness Training initiative has been two years in the making, following a meeting among county judges from the three counties and Delta Regional. Cole says the result is a military and civilian cooperative mission allowing reservists to complete their two weeks of annual training while providing the free care. Medical reservists representing the Air Force, Army and Navy will be providing the medical care.
Listen:
Cole says this is the first time the Innovative Readiness Training mission has been held in North Central Arkansas providing the free care.
Listen:
Hours for the Innovative Readiness Training are 8-4 Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 on Sunday, June 11, and 8-4 on June 12. Services will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Locations are the Mountain Home Junior High School and the Yellville-Summit Middle School and Marshall High School. Governor Hutchinson’s weekly schedule indicates he will visit the IRT in Marshall on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30.
In addition to the medical practitioners, Cole says vendors will also be on site with medical information.
No proof of income, insurance or residency is required to receive the medical care.
Cole says for many the care received from the Innovative Readiness Training will be the opportunity of a lifetime.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI