New grant funding supports mobile mammography screening in Kitsap

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 22, 2026

This fall, Molina Healthcare of Washington and Peninsula Community Health Services are teaming up to offer the deployment of the first mobile mammography unit serving Kitsap, Mason, and rural Pierce counties through $75,000 of grant funding.

The grant funding from MolinaCares will be used in partnership with PCHS to support the operational needs of the unit, including recruiting and staffing of a mammography technician, medical assistant, and/or care coordinator and driver. “Additionally, funding will also enable PCHS to obtain accreditation, licenses, and insurance for the unit as needed,” per a news release.

According to the state Department of Health, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women and the second leading cause of cancer death among women. DOH recommends screening for women typically around age 40 and above.

Washington ranks low nationally for mammography screenings. Roughly 137 per 100,000 women in Washington state were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2017 and 2021, per the American Cancer Society.

CEO of PCHS, Jennifer Kreidler-Moss, said early detection of breast cancer is important to improving outcomes, adding, “the five-year survival rate for breast cancer caught in its earlier, localized stages is over 99%. With support from MolinaCares, we are bringing mammography services directly to communities that otherwise face barriers to routine screening.”

Molina Healthcare of Washington plan president Dr. Jay Fathi, said the program aims to support women’s health especially those who may face challenges in accessing care in traditional clinic settings adding, “supporting PCHS in bringing mammography into the community is one way Molina is supporting women’s health and ensuring women in Washington have access to routine preventive care no matter where they live in the Evergreen State,” Fathi said.