Houston’s 5th Ward and nearby areas include more than 20,000 people. This area is among the most economically depressed in Houston and is also recognized as a Medically Underserved Area by the Federal Government. Access to primary care, dental care, mental health care and other healthcare services has long been minimal or non-existent. The population is comprised of 97% minority residents.
BACKGROUND
The 5th Ward Healthy Neighborhood Initiative (HNI) is a community development collaboration of members from Houston’s 5th Ward. The Collaborative’s goal is to be a catalyst for community-based participatory efforts towards a healthier, sustainable community. In doing so, HNI includes creating, linking to and bringing into the community resources for children and their families. Early in 2002, the community identified the establishment of a Federally Qualified Health Clinic as a response to this need.
In response to these community priorities, SLEHC enabled Communities in the Schools (CIS) to purchase a mobile medical van, entitled Project “MOVE” to provide healthcare services in Houston’s 5th Ward in 2003. President Bush’s Compassion Capital Faith & Health Grant matched SLEHC investment in this mobile health program. This project’s initial year focused on immunizations and health education at participating 5th Ward elementary schools and churches. Specifically, the community identified child primary care and mental health as top priorities for its young children in an early 2002 survey. Project “MOVE” is a result of these findings. Currently, CIS provides mental health services to children in the community.
Dental services were also deemed a top priority for 5th Ward families. This dental problem persists despite the fact that it is overwhelmingly preventable through early and consistent family interventions. According to a report published by the Connecticut Health Foundation, decay is five times more common than asthma and 80% of dental disease is found in only one-quarter of the children. Low-income children are much more likely to suffer this disease, but are also much less likely to obtain dental care. Compounding the problem, Texas had removed dental coverage from CHIP enrollees in late 2003.
Shalom Zone, a non-profit health provider in Houston, attempted to address this dental public health crisis in the 5th Ward. Housed in a renovated home near Northside Antioch Baptist Church in the 5th Ward, the monthly dental program served 101 patients in 2002. More than 250 units of service were provided to these patients. Every second Saturday, from September through May, Shalom Zone provided dental services to underserved residents in the 5th Ward.
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER OPTION
In an effort to address primary, dental, and mental health services in a more substantial way, the community formed a 501(c) 3 entitled the Northeast Community Health Center (NCHC) in 2003. The Northeast Community Health Center proposed to provide primary health care, dental and mental health services, substance abuse and other supplemental services through an FQHC designation. The proposed site of the FQHC was the Houston Recovery Campus, the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital closed in the late 1980s.
Governor Perry’s office awarded the NCHC a $314,000 Incubator Grant in late 2003 to develop the first phase of the proposed FQHC. After one year of operations, it was expected the NCHC would submit a proposal to the Federal Government for an FQHC “look-alike” designation as the next step towards achieving a full designation. The “look-alike” status would have allowed the clinic to receive pharmaceutical discounts and “at cost” reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid clients while serving the uninsured clients in the community as well.
MEMBERSHIP | Communities In Schools | Mile Chapel, Christian Methodist Episcopal |
| Houston Independent School District | Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church |
| Northeast Community Health Center | Pleasant Hill Baptist Church |
| Shalom Zone | Northside Antioch Baptist Church |
| St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities |
|
More Information:
To learn more about the 5th Ward Healthy Neighborhood Initiative, please contact us.
