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AUSTIN — CommUnityCare Health Centers announced this month that Austin labor attorney Steven Garrett has been elected to its board of directors. Garrett is an associate with Boulette Golden & Marin and is board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Garrett joined Boulette Golden & Marin in 2013, after three years with the City of Austin as prosecutor and then as an assistant city attorney. Since joining the firm, Garrett has represented clients in a variety of labor and employment issues, including negotiating initial collective bargaining agreements, litigating non-compete and trade secret matters, advising clients on work separation decisions, assisting with federal and state agency compliance and investigations, and of course, defending employment claims.CommUnityCare Board member Steven Garrett

“I could not be more honored to join the board of CommUnityCare. Like for many people, COVID-19 was a catalyst for me to look around my community and see what I could do to help out,” Garrett said. “Learning about the invaluable service provided for low-income people in and around Travis County made me excited to join CommUnityCare in its vision to provide the right care, at the right time, at the right place.”

With more than 27 Central Texas locations, CommUnityCare is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides outpatient primary health care, dental care, pediatric, specialty care, lab, radiology including mammography, a full-service pharmacy and behavioral health services. CommUnityCare is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and is part of the nation’s vital safety net community health system, providing high quality care to underserved communities without regard to insurance status.

CommUnityCare is governed by the Central Texas Community Health Centers Board of Directors. As required by the Health Resources ServicesAdministration (HRSA), the FQHC board must be comprised of more than 51 percent patients of the health centers. In addition to its patient members, the CommUnityCare board represents a wide variety of community professions, including medicine, law, finance, technology and ministry.

“As a Community Health Center we rely on our patient majority Board of Directors to guide our work to improve health equity across Central Texans and especially for our neighbors who are low income. Steven is a welcome addition to our board and his wealth of legal knowledge and his passion for community service is an asset to CommUnityCare and the 123,000 plus patients we care for each year” said CommUnityCare Chief Executive Officer Jaeson Fournier.

 

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(Blog) – This December 1st 2021 marks World AIDS Day — a solemn moment of reflection during the 40th year of the HIV epidemic. For many of the early survivors, World AIDS Day is a somber moment to pause in remembrance of those who lost their lives to HIV; celebration as we note the progress that has been made in science and medicine; and consternation as we pass yet another year of an epidemic that has not been brought under control.

CommUnityCare has been at the forefront of the fight against HIV in central Texas with the David Powell Health Center, which has been centering people living with HIV with comprehensive primary care, pharmacy, mental and behavioral health, and social services for over 30 years. Click on the video to hear from our team members at David Powell who are at the forefront of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

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(Blog) – In 1978, Delta Airlines pioneered the “Hub and Spoke” model, following deregulation of the airline industry, with the goal of increasing access and efficiency of air travel. Atlanta, GA was established as the hub through which most flights were routed while other airports were designated as spokes where travelers might begin or complete their routes. In healthcare, the Hub and Spoke Model has been used to increase access to specialized care within primary care settings, in addition to the traditional offering at a hospital or specialty clinic. CommUnityCare’ s Care Connections (CareCo) Clinic serves as both a hub (for complex procedures) and a spoke (for key services), bringing together a remarkable array of services for our patients with the highest burden of clinical illness as well as people experiencing homelessness. With this model we are boldly and safely challenging traditional notions of “right care, right place, right time.” Some of these services include the following:

1. Paracentesis is a procedure that is typically provided in a hospital setting that provides relief to individuals by draining fluid that has accumulated in the abdomen. This procedure helps avoid visits to the emergency room or hospital, and patients prefer the calm setting of our clinic with their trusted providers and team.

2. Hepatitis C treatment was traditionally provided exclusively by a GI or Infectious Disease specialist, but with newer hepatitis C medications, treatment protocols have been simplified allowing for treatment in the primary care setting. CareCo is one of a number of sites at CommUnityCare to offer Hep C screening, diagnosis, and treatment within the convenience of our patients’ primary care experience.

3. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) combines medication and behavioral therapy to treat substance use disorder, including the remarkably effective medication, buprenorphine, for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Initiation of this treatment requires intensive support, however, once a patient has stabilized on buprenorphine at our SEHWC hub, they are then transferred to a spoke site, including CareCo, for continued treatment. This exciting work is led by our MAT lead, Emily Humphrey.

4. HIV care has traditionally been delivered out of our hub site, the David Powell Clinic. Timely linkage to care is critical in the treatment of HIV, and CareCo Clinic has been developed as a spoke site to provide HIV care. Through additional HRSA grant funding, a HIV case manager and community health worker will be hired to assist with the spoke model work. This exciting addition is led by our Sexual Health Associate Director, Dr. Mike Stefanowicz.

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(Blog) – We’re celebrating more than 10 years of serving Central Texas to improve health equity and we are looking forward to another 10 years. We are committed to providing the right care, at the right time, and the right place for those who need us most. We can’t wait to show you what we do next. Click on the video link below to learn more!

For Spanish version click below:

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(Blog) – Nurses are the heart of CommUnityCare Health Centers and are often the first providers that patients engage with. Listen to Marion Douglas, long time nurse and The DAISY Award winner talk about why she loves working at CommUnityCare and what the DAISY award means to her.

 

 

 

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(Blog) – The Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH)  is a homeless shelter in downtown Austin that can house up to 100 individuals on any given night. Our ARCH clinic, dedicated to patients experiencing homelessness, is located on the first floor of the lobby.

On October 14th, 2021, the ARCH clinic team hosted a special event for women experiencing homelessness, to encourage health screening and improve health engagement. The event was open only to women, and they were warmly welcomed into the waiting room for snacks, tea, and free goodies like purses and nail polish. Many women participated, some of who had not had any regular healthcare for over 10 years. Pap smears (cervical cancer screening) were collected, mammograms were ordered, flu and Covid vaccines were administered, and screening labs (for diabetes, STDs, etc) were performed. The women had a chance to meet the whole team, including our behavioral health counselor and case manager, to discuss their needs and struggles. Many women shared that, through the event, they felt loved and cared for; our hope is that our team at the ARCH will continue to support these women to promote their health and well-being.

 

 

 

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(Blog) – View the latest blog post from CommUnityCare Health Centers about dealing with stress, especially as a healthcare provider, and how to provide self-care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remember, help is just a phone call or click away.

Self-Care during the COVID-19 pandemic