In a bid to create a more preventative approach to health woes, Metropolitan Community Health Services in Washington and Williamston launches a new campaign today.

“Take a Loved One to the Clinic Today” will run from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14, and the hope is that the program will inspire people to help their loved ones who haven’t had regular access to health professionals, get that access.

“The reason for this is to get folks to be proactive in their healthcare,” said Claudia Stokes, MCHS’ outreach enrollment coordinator. “It’s a shame that we wait until we’re dying to go to the doctor, when there are measures we can take.”

Stokes said too many times people don’t seek healthcare until it’s too late and find themselves irreversibly ill, often because they avoid doctors’ visits when they don’t have health insurance. But that’s no deterrent for the MCHS: the clinic operates on a sliding scale — the cost of visits is based on income.

“If you don’t have it (insurance), we’re not going to turn you away,” Stokes said.

In addition to a drawing for prizes for which every new and regular patient that comes in between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15 is eligible, a new pharmacy and dental clinics, MCHS has also extended its regular hours to better serve its patients, Stokes said. This is the first campaign of the year aimed at getting people to take action with their health, but it won’t be the last: MCHS services for 2015 include more outreach through educational seminars on diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and more, she said.

“We are trying to take care of the community we serve and get folks involved,” Stokes said. “We’re just asking the community to come out, to get on board, so we can all live long, healthy lives.”

Metropolitan Community Health Services’ Agape Community Health Center is located at 118 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Washington. For more information, call 252-940-0602.