Construction has begun on the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)-Louisiana CAREPATH mobile medical unit storage and disaster response facility. CAREPATH—short for “VCOM Supports the Community: Assess, Respond, Engage, Provide Access, Treat, Heal”— reflects VCOM-Louisiana’s commitment to meeting community needs through outreach, access, treatment, and compassionate care.
This facility, located at 3610 Concordia Street in Monroe, will house VCOM-Louisiana’s mobile medical units, acquired through a collaborative partnership with the Ouachita Parish Police Jury. Designed with a temperature-controlled environment and equipped with a generator to support resilient power for operations, the facility will support emergency response efforts, clinical operations, and other essential functions, serving as a centralized hub for patient care, medical education, and disaster response coordination. Supported in part by two generous grants totaling $234,000 from the Living Well Foundation, this facility represents a significant investment in the region’s healthcare preparedness and long-term community resilience.
Alice M. Prophit, president and CEO of the Living Well Foundation, said, “We are pleased to partner with VCOM to provide this site for medical support services for mobile clinical care and emergency response services. Their presence in our area is vital to our future healthcare capacity, and we look forward to further engagement and expansion of their expertise in our community through the education and training of medical professionals and the delivery of healthcare services.”
VCOM-Louisiana Dean Ray L. Morrison, DO, FACOS, DFACOS, is grateful for the support from an important community partner. “This generous support from the Living Well Foundation will have a profound impact on both our community and our students, advancing the mission of VCOM,” he said. “The new facility strengthens our capacity to respond effectively in times of disaster and community need, while providing essential hands-on training opportunities for our medical students in Monroe. This investment supports the health of Ouachita Parish and the surrounding region, while helping prepare the next generation of physicians dedicated to service.”
This partnership between the Living Well Foundation and VCOM-Louisiana reflects a shared commitment to building healthier, stronger communities by expanding access to care, advancing preparedness, and ensuring readiness to serve when communities need it most.
About the Living Well Foundation:
“The Living Well Foundation was created in 2006 upon the sale of a public hospital and is administered as a public charity. Grants and initiatives are funded within an 8-parish service area, including Caldwell, Franklin, Jackson, Lincoln, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, and Union Parishes. Since 2006, over $11,210,000 has been granted throughout northeast Louisiana.”
