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clients he serves. He has, in fact, been in their shoes. As a sub- stance abuser for more than 20 years, Ward has been clean for nine, and is well acquainted with the struggles and expectations many addicts face. "They always think it (recovery) is going to get easier," Ward says, "but it never gets easier." Ward is one of 14 staff members who work for Mobile Med- ical Office, one of two community-clinics-on-wheels that rou- tinely visit nine sites in mostly rural Humboldt County, serving high-risk teens, drug users, the homeless and poor in economi- cally depressed small towns, and immigrant farm workers. Because of its isolation, the northernmost counties of Cali- fornia are often referred to as existing "Behind the Redwood Cur- tain." Dr. Wendy Ring started serving this population with the Mobile Medical Office in 1990 in a remodeled trailer pulled by Dr. Ring's old pickup truck. Federally designated as a Rural Health Clinic in 1993, Mobile Medical Office was turned over to a com- munity board of directors in 1997, and became a Federally Qual- ified Health Center in 2002. Mobile Medical Office provides health care for the poor, unin- The motel, located along U.S. Highway 101 as it cuts through the town of Eureka, Calif., some 275 miles from San Francisco along the state's isolated north coast, has long served as both tem- porary shelter and a center for social services to the homeless and rural poor population of Humboldt County. Today the Seren- ity Inn hosts the Mobile Medical Office in its parking lot. Ward parks the 30-foot office-on-wheels along the chain-link fence that borders the property. He exits the Mobile Medical Of- fice and crosses the parking lot. Once inside the motel lobby, he is greeted by Barbara Berry, manager of the Serenity Inn. The lobby contains a couch and several chairs. The carpet is stained, the walls and upholstery worn, but an effort has been made to create warmth and charm: A collection of colorful bot- tles line shelves inside the large window. There are several plants around the room, plenty of light, and friendly smiles and greet- ings from everyone at the front desk. Ward assembles files, laptop computer and intake forms on a coffee table, and readies himself for patients. In blue jeans, sweat- shirt and modest demeanor, Ward could easily be one of the Who cares for the rural poor in isolated Northern California? BY ERI N FITZGERALD BEHIND THE REDWOOD CURTAIN Feature Story 12 M A R C H 2 0 0 6 W W W . C A L N U R S E S . O R G C A L I F O R N I A N U R S E D ALE WARD maneuvers the big wheel of the Mobile Medical Office as he drives it to its Thursday stop. Following behind in her own car is nurse practitioner Paula Rhude. They are heading for a modest motel appropriately named the Serenity Inn.