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CommUnityCare ™ and the Housing Authority of the City of Austin Establish New Health Center in East Austin

CommUnityCare ™, along with the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), are excited to announce the grand opening of the Chalmers Courts Health Center. This marks a historic step as one of the first times a federally designated community health center has been established directly within a Central Texas subsidized housing property. The CommUnityCare Chalmers Courts Health Center is located adjacent to Pathways at Chalmers Courts East, a newly rebuilt HACA property serving low-income families in East Austin.

Built in 1939, Chalmers Courts was one of the earliest public housing projects created under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937. In 2022, HACA redeveloped Pathways at Chalmers Courts East as the second phase of a three-stage renovation (including Chalmers Courts West and South) to expand to 398 deeply affordable housing units and offer valuable support services for low-income families. 

The Chalmers Courts Health Center will be critical to providing health and wellness services for residents and the community. The 5,000-square-foot health center offers family medicine, dental, behavioral health, labs, pharmacy services, care coordination and management.

“The rising costs of living in East Austin has forced many of our low-income and minority patients to leave a community they have called home for years,” said CommUnityCare Chief Executive Officer Jaeson Fournier. “Through this partnership with HACA, CommUnityCare is bringing its high quality and affordable primary care services just a few steps away from the doors of Chalmer’s residence.  And thanks to support from Central Health and this innovative partnership, underserved East siders will have access to a medical home in the heart of their community for years to come.”

According to a 2018 HACA Community Health Needs Assessment, 42% of the 150 existing Chalmers residents surveyed said that they visited an emergency room in the prior year, 73% had one or more chronic disease, 43% had difficulty accessing dental services, and 88% indicated that they would likely use on-site primary care services.

“The opening of the Chalmers Courts Health Center marks an exciting milestone for the Housing Authority of the City of Austin, CommUnityCare, Central Health, and the residents of Chalmers Courts,” said HACA President and CEO Michael Gerber. “Too many low-income and vulnerable people in Austin–especially in communities of color–have lacked access to health care resources.  The Chalmers Center represents a major step forward for our residents and the surrounding community to achieve a healthier, happier, and more independent quality of life.”

Medical appointments at the CommUnityCare Chalmers Courts Health Center can be scheduled by calling 512-978-8650. Dental appointments can be scheduled by calling 512-978-9640.

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CommUnityCare™ Health Centers Continues Important Work as National Funding Deadline Approaches

For most Central Texans with health insurance, the decision to see a family practice or pediatric provider is a simple calculation. Is this visit worth the co-pay and the time spent getting and going to the appointment?

For those without health insurance, that same decision is much more complex. The math for uninsured individuals starts with what the out-of-pocket costs for seeing a doctor will be, with this increased by the costs of needed lab work, prescriptions, transportation costs to get to their appointment, and, for many, lost wages because their employer does not provide leave benefits. For those who are low income and uninsured, these projected costs are unaffordable, and all too often lead to a delay in getting care or skipping care altogether.

Ensuring that primary care medical and dental services can be accessed by our low-income and uninsured neighbors is at the heart of the high-quality and affordable healthcare provided by the nation’s almost 1,400 federally funded health centers. Authorized under Section 330 of the US Public Health Service Act, these health centers serve over 30 million patients a year and are required to render care without regard to a patient’s insurance status, with low-income patients able to pay significantly less for their care based on financial means. In return, these health centers receive a federal grant to support their care provision, although, most of a health center’s services are supported by billing revenues.

Annually, the federal government invests almost $6 billion in grants to support primary care services to uninsured/uninsured patients cared for by the nation’s health centers. This investment has consistently saved the United States health system an estimated $24 billion a year with these same health centers also serving as important medical access points and employers within federally designated underserved communities.

Locally, the CommUnityCare™ Health Centers is one of the largest health centers in the country and is the second largest in Texas, operates 28 health centers in Austin and its surrounding communities.  Thanks to support and partnership with Central Health, CommUnityCare served more than 129,000 unique patients in 2022, of whom, 97% had incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level, 87% self-reported as a minority, 57% were best served in language other than English, and approximately 85% were Travis County residents.

Each year in August, the efforts of the nation’s health centers’ work are recognized during National Health Center Week. As part of our celebrations this year from August 6 – 12, CommUnityCare and Central Health will be opening the Chalmers Courts Health Center. This new health center, located in East Austin, is just one example of how community health centers leverage community partnerships and government funding to creatively fill community healthcare gaps. Even with the changes in East Austin’s historic demographics, pockets of lower-income households remain, often with more complex healthcare needs than their more affluent neighbors. Retaining affordable and accessible healthcare options in Austin’s city core is critically important to meeting the needs of our lower-income neighbors.

So, in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Austin and Central Health, the CommUnityCare has converted two of the historic housing units at the Pathways at Chalmers Courts public housing development on Chicon Street into a primary and dental healthcare clinic that will serve the residents of Chalmers Courts and low-income individuals that live nearby.

Yet, even as we are celebrating this grand opening, 70% of the federal funding supporting health centers are at risk unless Congress passes legislation renewing the Community Health Center Fund before the end of September. This funding uncertainty has already disrupted service planning for many health centers with many already planning for service reductions should funding not be renewed.

While this represents another math equation that needs to be solved, it is one that has a profound impact on those served by health centers like the CommUnityCare Health Centers. This issue is even more significant when one considers what it means for our and the nation’s health center patients.

Access to health care within our communities is critically important to achieving greater health equity – something that CommUnityCare and peer health centers work daily to achieve. In the end, the calculus matters for all of us. Delayed care costs because the math is too much for low-income uninsured patients to overcome costs more than dollars. It costs the viability and vitality of communities because it can result in preventive years of life lost. One thing we know for certain is that the equation for better health is accessing healthcare when it is needed.  We also know that the best way to save healthcare dollars nationally is to engage and empower patients in their care, including ensuring that preventative services like cancer screenings are obtained.

So, as we celebrate National Health Center Week and the tremendous work of the healthcare professionals and staff caring for the nation’s medically vulnerable including the CommUnityCare team, call on Congress to continue its long-standing support of the Community Health Center Fund and to renew this most important funding prior to September 30th. 

To learn more, click here.

Jaeson T. Fournier, D.C., MPH, is the chief executive officer of the CommUnityCare Health Centers, which operates 28 community health centers in Central Texas, serving more than 129,000 individuals. He also serves on the board of the Texas Association of Community Health Centers.

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Get Ready for Back to School at the CommUnityCare™ Health Centers 

In honor of National Health Center Week, the CommUnityCare™ Health Centers will host two back-to-school events in order to help Central Texas’ children get prepped for their return to classes. 

National Health Center Week (August 6th – 12th) is an opportunity to highlight the commitment and passion of Community Health Centers that diligently work to improve health outcomes and narrow health disparities. CommUnityCare Health Centers is Central Texas’ largest nonprofit health center network operating 28 locations, the newest addition being the Chalmers Courts Health Center. The CommUnityCare team is committed to providing a range of quality, comprehensive services to underserved populations regardless of their ability to pay.  

The Madagascar-themed back-to-school bash will offer immunizations for children ages 3-18. FREE backpacks, school supplies, paletas and music will also be offered.

Registration is required for both immunizations and the drive-thru backpack drive.  

To register your child(ren) for an immunization appointment, CLICK HERE. 

To register for a FREE backpack and school supplies, CLICK HERE. 

Southeast Health and Wellness Center 

August 5 | 8a.m.-12p.m.  

North Central Health Center 

August 12 | 8a.m.-12p.m.  

 

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CommUnityCare Health Centers Receives Delta Dental Grant Funding to Improve Dental Health for Patients 

CommUnityCare Health Centers provides equitable access to dental care for Central Texans through its eight dental clinics. In 2022, CommUnityCare provided vital dental services to more than 25,000 patients, the majority of patients falling 200% below the federal poverty guideline.  

Thanks to an $80,000 grant from Delta Dental Community Care Foundation, CommUnityCare Health Centers will be able to improve access to affordable, quality dental care for its patients. The grant will provide funding to purchase new equipment, make upgrades, and provide dental education and marketing.  

“This generous grant from Delta Dental allows CommUnityCare to further reduce the disparities that our patient populations face when trying to access crucial healthcare services,” said CommUnityCare Chief Executive Officer Jaeson Fournier. “We are thankful for this funding that will help us further support our mission of strengthening the health and well-being of the communities we serve.” 

 The funding is part of $16 million in grants that the foundation is distributing amongst nonprofit organizations throughout 15 states and the District of Colombia. The funding aims to increase and safeguard access to oral health care.  

“This year’s Access to Care Grants represent the program’s largest annual funding and are focused on three critical areas of need: the oral health crisis among older adults, health equity and rural oral health access,” said Kenzie Ferguson, vice president of foundation and corporate social responsibility for Delta Dental of California. “The important relationships with our partners enable us to achieve our broader mutual goals to help make the communities we serve strong, healthier and more resilient.” 

CommUnityCare’s fully trained dental teams are committed to helping families in Central Texas receive proper dental care. Dental services include preventative dental exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, emergency treatments and more. To learn more about CommUnityCare dental services, click here.

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CommUnityCare Hosting Mpox (Monkeypox) Vaccine Event

CommUnityCare is hosting an event to vaccinate at-risk individuals against mpox (MonkeyPox). This event will be open to the community and all CommUnityCare patients. Qualifying risk factors to receive the vaccine include at least one of the below: 

  • Patient has known or suspected exposure to someone with mpox in the last 2 weeks
  • A new diagnosis of one or more sexually transmitted diseases in the last 6 months (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis)
  • More than one sex partner in the last 6 months
  • Patient has had any of the following in the past 6 months: Sex at a commercial sex venue (like a sex club or bathhouse), Sex related to a large commercial event or in a geographic area (city or county for example) where mpox virus transmission is occurring, Sex in exchange for money or other items
  • Patient has a sex partner with any of the above risks
  • Patient anticipates experiencing any of the above scenarios
  • Patient works in settings where you may be exposed to mpox or you work with mpox in a laboratory

To schedule your first or second mpox vaccine appointment call 512-978-9015 or CLICK HERE to schedule online.

To learn more about mpox (Monkeypox), CLICK HERE.

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CommUnityCare Health Centers is moving its pediatric practice from our East Austin clinic (211 Comal St.) to our new Pflugerville Health Center (2700 W Pecan Street #450, Pflugerville, TX 78660) starting May 30, 2023.

If moving your child’s care to Pflugerville is not convenient for you, we can transfer care to one of our other pediatric locations, including our Chalmers Courts Health Center (COMING SOON) located down the street from East Austin Clinic, at 314 Chicon Street.

The new 15,000-square-foot Pflugerville Health Center will also offer family medicine, women’s health, dental, and laboratory services along with pediatrics.

Your child will receive the same high-quality, welcoming care at all of our locations. We look forward to continuing to care for your family. Call 512-978-9015 to schedule a pediatrics appointment at one of our pediatrics locations.

Pediatric Locations:

Chalmers Courts (COMING SOON)– 314 Chicon St., Austin, TX 78702

South Austin Health Center – 2529 S. First St. Austin, TX 78704

Springdale – 7112 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Suite 100 Austin, TX 78723

Sandra Joy Community Health & Wellness Center – 1705 E. 11th St. Austin, TX 78702

Riverside – 2237 E. Riverside Drive Suite 101-C Austin, TX 78741

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CommUnityCare Health Centers is making strides toward building COVID-19 vaccine confidence and bolstering COVID-19 vaccinations in underserved communities through its grant-funded COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach Program. The program launched in January 2023 and has already surpassed expectations and is a testament to CommUnityCare’s mission of striving for health equity and reducing barriers to accessing healthcare resources.

CommUnityCare received $1.175 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration in December 2022 to support education and vaccine events in underserved areas of Central Texas. The funds have supported clinic and community events with vaccines administered by Ascension Seton team members.

CommUnityCare’s Community Outreach Coordinators, Claudia Franco, and Felipe Rivera, along with Community Development Manager, Karla Rivera are leading the outreach effort, coordinating events and providing 1:1 education and information to the community.

“We are thrilled to share the success of our ongoing COVID-19 vaccination program,” said Felipe Rivera. “We have truly been humbled by the rich stories which our patients and community members have shared with us. Ranging from newly emigrated families, all the way to people who are receiving the vaccine for the first time.”

As of April, the bi-lingual outreach team has engaged with nearly 1,400 people both in-clinic and at community events. From these interactions, 352 people have received the COVID-19 vaccine free of charge. The work is an extension of CommUnityCare’s work early in the pandemic, working with community partners to ensure more equitable access to vaccines and COVID-19 testing early in the pandemic. CommUnityCare has administered more than 154,000 COVID-19 vaccines since January 2021.

“Our underserved communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 throughout the pandemic and deserve equitable access to vaccines,” said Franco. “Thanks to the engagement and educational information we are able to provide, our community is better informed about current vaccination guidelines.”

The program would not be possible without the collaboration with Ascension, which provides their medical personnel to administer the vaccines. The partnership allows CommUnityCare’s medical staff to remain in the health centers supporting primary care and other needs of its 129,000 patients. Additionally, CommUnityCare has collaborated with the following local organizations to help this program grow: Equidad ATX, JD’s Supermarkets, Mexican American Cultural Arts Center, Mexican Consulate, Todos Juntos, Travis County Precinct 4 Constable Office and United Way of Central Texas.

This free COVID-19 vaccination program is open to anyone in the community ages 5 and older. If you would like to receive your free COVID-19 vaccine, please see the list of upcoming events below.

 

May Clinic Events:

North Central Health Center
Mondays 10:00 am – 2:00 pm | Wednesdays 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Southeast Health & Wellness Center
Tuesdays 8:00 am – 12:00 pm | Thursdays 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

 

May Community Events:

May 13th: Bookspring Fest
1807 W Slaughter Ln., Bldg #1, Austin, TX., 78748 | 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm

May 16th: Creedmoor Food Distribution
5604 FM 1327 Creedmoor, TX., 78610 | 8:30 am – 9:30 am

May 19th: 30th Annual Senior Mayfest: Wild World of Sports
Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA)
1156 Hargrave St., Austin, TX 78702 | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

May 20th: Del Valle High School Food Distribution
5210 Ross Rd., Del Valle, TX., 78617 | 9:30 am – 11:45 am

May 25th: Turner Roberts Rec Center Food Distribution
7201 Colony Loop, Austin, TX., 78724 | 9:30 am – 11:00 am

May 25th: AVANCE South Graduation at Anita Coy Facility
4900 Gonzalez St., Austin, TX., 78702 | 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

May 26th: AVANCE North Graduation at River Oaks Elementary
12401 Scofield Farms Dr., Austin, TX., 78758 | 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

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CommUnityCare Health Centers served nearly 130,000 patients in 2022– a milestone in the history of the health system. The vast majority of our patients identify as racial or ethnic minorities and fall at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.

CommUnityCare recognizes the number of non-medical drivers of health that make it harder for underserved communities to seek quality healthcare, like cost, transportation, and health literacy. This is why health equity sits centerstage for us.

An equity lens allows us to properly identify populations within Austin and Central Texas with the greatest health disparities and needs to help increase access to care. We work with community partners to implement important interventions needed and reduce barriers.

For example, last year we launched a partnership with Black Men’s Health Clinic to help increase trust in and access to health care for men of color.

We also began a Doula Pilot Program to help support Black patients through pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Factors such as access to quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions and implicit bias contribute to the disparities affecting black mothers more than other racial and ethnic groups. Understanding these factors is important to be able to serve patients.

And we were able to, for the first time, provide school-based care, beginning with Akins High School in the Austin Independent School District.

Instead of simply treating illnesses that arise due to inequities, our mission is to strengthen the health and well-being of the communities we serve. We are striving to see even more underserved patients in 2023 as the demand for quality, affordable, nonjudgmental care increases.

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AUSTIN, TX – CommUnityCare Health Centers has been selected, in conjunction with Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, as the Grand Prize recipient of the 2023 80% in Every Community National Achievement Award. The honor singles out individuals and organizations for dedicating their time, talent, and expertise to advance colorectal cancer screening rates to 80% or higher across the United States in an equitable manner. The award is given by The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT), founded by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Through an innovative and collaborative partnership, CommUnityCare and Dell Med have made significant efforts to ensure more people in Central Texas, especially the underserved patients that CommUnityCare serves, get screened for colorectal cancer. In the United States, the lowest colorectal cancer screening rates occur among people with limited access to healthcare including those who are uninsured.

During its first year alone, the program doubled the percentage of patients screened for colorectal cancer from 18.4 to 37 percent. Currently, up to 44 percent of patients have been screened. The initiative has been made possible by multiple grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

“The success of this colorectal cancer screening initiative is in large part due to the help of our amazing partners at Dell Medical School,” said Dr. Nicholas Yagoda, Chief Medical Officer at CommUnityCare — the largest nonprofit community health center in Central Texas with 28 locations in and around Austin. “Our shared vision to help underserved populations has improved the health outcomes among our most vulnerable patients. We are honored to receive this grand prize in collaboration with Dell Med.”

“Our partnership with CommUnityCare has helped numerous patients get screened, and has been implemented in a way that improves health care equity,” said Michael Pignone, M.D., MPH, chair of Dell Med’s Department of Internal Medicine, Co-Program Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control program at the Livestrong Cancer Institutes, and Program Leader for the CPRIT awards.

In 2017, Pignone spearheaded a collaborative team with members from Dell Med and CommUnityCare to launch a program that mails colorectal cancer screening tests, known as fecal immunochemical tests (FIT), directly to patients’ homes. The screening kits are supplemented with low-cost text message and letter reminders to prompt patients to return the test. For those patients who screen positive, a CommUnityCare bilingual patient educator and navigator offers resources and support through the process of completing a colonoscopy, as recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force.

The impactful and cost-effective program was implemented throughout CommUnityCare Health Centers, offering a new way for patients to get screened for colorectal cancer, potentially lessen the number of colorectal cancers, and lighten the burden of treatment. Finding cancers early improves prognosis and saves lives.

The program has subsequently been expanded to other systems in Central Texas. Efforts are ongoing in Texas and across the country to disseminate similar programs to other health systems, especially for underserved populations facing financial barriers and limited access to these critical preventive services.

Join CommUnityCare and Dell Med on March 23, 2023 from 1-2 P.M. CT for the March 2023 Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Webcast to learn more about the ongoing efforts in the Colorectal Cancer Screening Program and to celebrate the program’s success.

 

 

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AUSTIN – CommUnityCare, the second largest community health center system in Texas made of up 28 primary care, behavioral health, and dental clinics, today named Abayomi “Yomi” Fabiyi as the Vice President of Human Resources and member of its executive leadership team. Fabiyi brings more than 15 years of experience in H.R. management.

“CommUnityCare’s continued success is a direct result of our dedicated staff,” said Jaeson Fournier, CEO and president of CommUnityCare. “As we are acutely aware, engaging, retaining, and finding people has become more challenging than ever in healthcare, but Mr. Fabiyi is the right person to help us navigate an ever-evolving landscape at a time of significant growth for CommUnityCare. His wealth of experience in healthcare leadership and organizational culture in both hospital and community settings– and his deep commitment to diversity and inclusion—will benefit our more than 1,200 employees.”

Fabiyi will oversee daily human resource operations across CommUnityCare’s 28 health centers in Central Texas and manage onboarding and staffing at new clinics opening in 2023.

Most recently, Fabiyi served as the Director of Human Resources at UNLV Health in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has held senior roles at Providence Health System in Washington, D.C. (a member of Ascension Health System), Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center (a member of Universal Health Services, Inc.), North Vista Hospital (a member of Prime Healthcare) and Western Arizona Regional Medical Center, a member of Community Health Systems. He also worked for ESPN as a Senior Diversity Specialist at its corporate headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut.

“We all believe equity to be a central part of our healthcare mission,” said Jeannie Virden, Chief Human Resources Officer at Central Health, which provides HR support for CommUnityCare as an affiliated member of the Central Health enterprise. “Equity applies not just to patients but to our workforce—something I know Fabiyi feels strongly about. I am thrilled he is joining our partners at CommUnityCare.”

CommUnityCare served over 129,000 unique patients visits in 2022 and is scheduled to open new locations this year in East Austin, Pflugerville, Del Valle, and Hornsby Bend with support from Central Health, Travis County’s local healthcare district.

Fabiyi attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he majored in Agricultural Business Management and Ashford University where he received a bachelor’s in Organizational Management.

“I’m extremely honored and excited to join the CommUnityCare team,” said Fabiyi. “I look forward to making sure we not only find the best talent out there, but also continue to create a positive work environment and an inclusive, diverse culture where our dedicated team members can feel engaged and provide excellent care for our patients.”

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