Programs

The DAISY Award | Reach Out and Read | Centering Pregnancy
Centering Parenting | Vision Voucher Program

CommUnityCare Health Centers uses a team approach to provide comprehensive primary care services to our patients. We believe your overall health and well-being depends on both your physical and mental health. Our services include primary care, pediatrics, women’s services, HIV care, behavioral health services, dental care, nutrition counseling and clinical pharmacy services. Our team of physicians, midlevel providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants), dentists, pharmacists, nutritionists and behavioral health professionals all work in partnership with our patients to achieve the best health outcomes possible. Your good health is our priority.

Our goal is to continue to expand and enhance our services and to increase access to care.

Reach Out and Read

Many CommUnityCare Health Centers participate in the national Reach Out and Read program. Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based nonprofit organization of medical providers who promote early literacy and school readiness in pediatric exam rooms nationwide by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.

Reach Out and Read builds on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in children, beginning at 6 months of age. Reach Out and Read families read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten better prepared to succeed, with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills. During the preschool years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests. These early foundational language skills help start children on a path of success when they enter school.

What to Expect from Reach Out and Read

CommUnityCare and Reach Out and Read seek to encourage and enable parents to read to their children by offering them the skills and the tools to do so.

At regular pediatric checkups, the Reach Out and Read program provides parents with books appropriate for children from 6 months to 5 years old, placing a special emphasis on economically disenfranchised children.

CommUnityCare and Reach Out and Read make literacy promotion a standard part of pediatric primary care, building on the relationship between parents and health care providers. This pairing between pediatricians and parents works to ensure that children are instilled with a love of reading and a home library of their own. CommUnityCare and Reach Out and Read encourage families to read together to promote early literacy skills so children may enter school prepared to succeed.

CommUnityCare Health Centers Offering Reach Out and Read

• East Austin Health Center
• North Central Health Center
• Oak Hill Health Center
• Pflugerville Health Center
• Manor Health Center
• Rundberg Health Center
• South Austin Health Center
• William Cannon Health Center

Centering Pregnancy

What is Centering Pregnancy?

Centering Pregnancy is prenatal care that includes your regular health checkup with additional time for learning and sharing.

Groups start after the first trimester. You’ll meet with a health care provider and other women who are due near the same time for 10 sessions throughout your pregnancy. Centering Pregnancy is the way for you to learn and experience your pregnancy with other pregnant women. Each session includes interactive learning that will let you experience your pregnancy in a new and rewarding way.

How does it work?
You participate in some of your own care (weight, blood pressure, etc) and have private time with your care provider. There will be some group discussion and activities. Snacks are provided and there is time for sharing with other group members in a relaxed and fun setting.

Who is in the group?
As the months go by, you will get to know other mothers who are due near the same time. Often partners and support people also join the groups. It’s a bond of friendship that can last a lifetime.

How much time does it take?
Centering respects your time – groups start and end on time. Each group visit lasts about 2 hours with your healthcare provider guiding the session. Scheduling in advance makes planning for work and childcare easier.

Centering is excellent care! Look at the results:

• Women in Centering groups are less likely to have a preterm baby.
• Women feel more confident to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families.
• Centering moms have higher breastfeeding rates – healthier for Mom and baby.
• Women say Centering is fun!

To enroll or lean more, talk to your CommUnityCare health care team, or contact the Centering Pregnancy Coordinators at 512-978-9435.

How does it work?

In each session you will talk about health, development and safety. From colic to communicating, from sleeping to staying healthy – you’ll enjoy learning with your group as everyone experiences the first year with a new baby together.

You do some of your own care (weight, blood pressure, charting), and you and your baby will have private time with the care provider. There will be group discussion and activities. Snacks are provided, and there is time for sharing with other group members in a relaxed and fun setting.

To enroll or learn more, talk to a member of your health care team, or contact the CommUnityCare OB Coordinator: 512-978-9435.

Centering Parenting

What is Centering Parenting?

It’s well-baby care for the first three years. Your baby will get regular health exams, tests and immunizations.

There are usually 10 visits to meet your baby’s immunization and development screening needs. At each visit, you and your baby will have private time with the clinician.

You will also have time with the group of other moms to learn and talk together about things like:
• Infant care and self care
• Nutrition for you and your baby
• Breast feeding
• Keeping your baby and family healthy
• How to manage common illnesses

Groups can help each person reach goals they would not be able to do on their own.

“People would come to the group tired, anxious, worried and every single time, without fail, everyone left happy, laughing, and lighter.”

“I liked how we were going through the same issues and discussed different methods or ways we approach them.”

How much time does it take?
Centering respects your time – groups start and end on time. Each group visit lasts about 2 hours with your healthcare provider guiding the session. Groups are scheduled in advance, which makes planning for work and childcare easier.

Who is in the group?
You’ll be with other parents of new babies, making friends for your whole family. You meet with the same group through your baby’s third birthday.

How does it work?
In each session you will talk about health, development and safety. From colic to communicating, from sleeping to staying healthy – you’ll enjoy learning with your group as everyone experiences the first years with a new baby together.

There will be group discussion and activities. Snacks are provided, and there is time for sharing with other group members in a relaxed and fun setting.

To enroll or learn more, talk to a member of your health care team, or contact one of your CommUnityCare OB Coordinators at 512-978-9435.

Vision Voucher Program

History and Overview

St. David’s Foundation generously provides funding each year to the Vision Voucher Program. The program began in October 2011, and CommUnityCare serves as the coordinating organization. The goal of the funding is to provide vision exams and eyeglasses to patients who would otherwise not be able to receive such services.

The community partners participating in the St. David’s Foundation vision program include: El Buen Samaritano, People’s Community Clinic, Project Access, Lone Star Circle of Care, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), and Volunteer Clinic.

Patients at CommUnityCare or any of the community partners may request a vision voucher to pay for vision services. In addition to the community partners, more than 40 optometrists and opticians provide quality vision services to patients. Vision vendors are located throughout Travis County. A list of participating providers is printed on the vouchers.

Vision Voucher Screening

• MAP, Medicare and sliding fee scale patients.
• Patients may receive one vision voucher every two years.
• Available to patients of any age.
• Vision vouchers expire after 60 days, at which time they can’t be redeemed for services.