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Pediatric program to bring care to children in rural border community
DOUGLAS - On Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. Irwin Redlener, MD, President and Co-Founder of the Children's Health Fund (CHF), a national organization that advocates for and develops primary care programs for disadvantaged and medically underserved children, joins Jennifer "Ginger" Ryan, CEO of Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc., a federally qualified community health center that was founded in 1996, to launch the Southern Arizona Children's Health Project (SACHP).
The partnership provides an enhanced medical and dental home to the underserved children and families of the vast rural US/Mexico borderlands of Cochise County. Many children with special health care needs are served in the project, whose diagnoses include cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism spectrum disorder, genetic syndromes, seizure disorders, traumatic injuries and speech/developmental disorders. Additionally, SACHP will launch the first pediatric mobile medical program to focus on children and their families to Southeast Cochise County in Arizona, a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area.
In addition to the new mobile medical clinic, support from the Children's Health Fund is funding an innovative Pediatric Therapy Playroom for children with special health care needs. The therapy playroom, designed with the support of local speech and physical therapists, consists of a large, safe, indoor play area furnished with equipment that addresses the developmental and therapy needs for this population. The Playroom will provide a state-of-the-art space for families to work closely with therapists to improve the developmental outcomes for their child. Currently, some families travel as far as Tucson for these necessary services.
A daylong community celebration follows the ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of the new mobile medical clinic.
"Chiricahua Community Health Center is such a tremendous partner for us in addressing the special health needs, both chronic and acute, among underserved children in Cochise County," Redlener said. "We are thrilled also to be launching a new medical mobile clinic, which will be able to visit schools and other remote areas, providing comprehensive care to children who face many barriers to medical care, from a dearth of local physicians to a lack of local health centers."
"The region experiences a myriad of challenges, including poverty, lack of specialty care, absence of public transportation, a high percentage of fractured families, and severely strained educational and public resources," said Ryan. "I'm delighted to be working in partnership with the Children's Health Fund as we expand health and mental health services at a time when the current health services shortage has reached a critical point in public health."
Services are provided through the infrastructure of Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc.'s (CCHCI) community health center model, which includes fixed clinical sites, mobile medical/dental services, community outreach and innovative prevention programs. Services available include comprehensive prevention and primary care services, specialized care coordination and medical services for children with special health care needs, dental and mental health care.
"I believe that all children have a right to health care - period. That's something I'm not able to compromise and am willing to speak out for," said Jonathan Lee-Melk, MD, Medical Director of Southern Arizona Children's Health Project. "I am proud to join the Children's Health Fund's network of passionate and dedicated providers, advocates, pediatricians, and family practice docs, to build a true medical home for children in an area that has never seen anything like one before."
Thanks to American Idol "Idol Gives Back", a Signature Philanthropic Supporter of the Children's Health Fund and the Southern Arizona Children's Health Project.
Children's Health Fund (www.childrenshealthfund.org) Founded in 1987 by singer/songwriter Paul Simon and pediatrician/advocate Irwin Redlener, MD, Children's Health Fund (CHF) is the nation's leading pediatric provider of mobile-based health care for homeless and low-income children and their families. CHF's mission is to bring health care directly to those in need through the development and support of innovative medical programs, response to public health crises, and the promotion of guaranteed access to health care for all children. Teams of dedicated medical professionals in CHF's 24 pediatric programs in 15 states and the District of Columbia have brought essential primary care services through more than 2 million patient visits.
Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. - http://www.cchci.org/douglas.htm Founded in August of 1996. Jennifer "Ginger" Ryan worked with local community members in the development of a grassroots movement to bring quality affordable healthcare to the residents of the Sulphur Springs Valley, a rural agricultural area located in Southeast Cochise County. Today it serves one of every 6 residents of Cochise County, with clinics in Bisbee, Douglas and Elfrida and mobile units, both medical and dental, that travel to remote areas.
The partnership provides an enhanced medical and dental home to the underserved children and families of the vast rural US/Mexico borderlands of Cochise County. Many children with special health care needs are served in the project, whose diagnoses include cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism spectrum disorder, genetic syndromes, seizure disorders, traumatic injuries and speech/developmental disorders. Additionally, SACHP will launch the first pediatric mobile medical program to focus on children and their families to Southeast Cochise County in Arizona, a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area.
In addition to the new mobile medical clinic, support from the Children's Health Fund is funding an innovative Pediatric Therapy Playroom for children with special health care needs. The therapy playroom, designed with the support of local speech and physical therapists, consists of a large, safe, indoor play area furnished with equipment that addresses the developmental and therapy needs for this population. The Playroom will provide a state-of-the-art space for families to work closely with therapists to improve the developmental outcomes for their child. Currently, some families travel as far as Tucson for these necessary services.
A daylong community celebration follows the ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of the new mobile medical clinic.
"Chiricahua Community Health Center is such a tremendous partner for us in addressing the special health needs, both chronic and acute, among underserved children in Cochise County," Redlener said. "We are thrilled also to be launching a new medical mobile clinic, which will be able to visit schools and other remote areas, providing comprehensive care to children who face many barriers to medical care, from a dearth of local physicians to a lack of local health centers."
"The region experiences a myriad of challenges, including poverty, lack of specialty care, absence of public transportation, a high percentage of fractured families, and severely strained educational and public resources," said Ryan. "I'm delighted to be working in partnership with the Children's Health Fund as we expand health and mental health services at a time when the current health services shortage has reached a critical point in public health."
Services are provided through the infrastructure of Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc.'s (CCHCI) community health center model, which includes fixed clinical sites, mobile medical/dental services, community outreach and innovative prevention programs. Services available include comprehensive prevention and primary care services, specialized care coordination and medical services for children with special health care needs, dental and mental health care.
"I believe that all children have a right to health care - period. That's something I'm not able to compromise and am willing to speak out for," said Jonathan Lee-Melk, MD, Medical Director of Southern Arizona Children's Health Project. "I am proud to join the Children's Health Fund's network of passionate and dedicated providers, advocates, pediatricians, and family practice docs, to build a true medical home for children in an area that has never seen anything like one before."
Thanks to American Idol "Idol Gives Back", a Signature Philanthropic Supporter of the Children's Health Fund and the Southern Arizona Children's Health Project.
Children's Health Fund (www.childrenshealthfund.org) Founded in 1987 by singer/songwriter Paul Simon and pediatrician/advocate Irwin Redlener, MD, Children's Health Fund (CHF) is the nation's leading pediatric provider of mobile-based health care for homeless and low-income children and their families. CHF's mission is to bring health care directly to those in need through the development and support of innovative medical programs, response to public health crises, and the promotion of guaranteed access to health care for all children. Teams of dedicated medical professionals in CHF's 24 pediatric programs in 15 states and the District of Columbia have brought essential primary care services through more than 2 million patient visits.
Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc. - http://www.cchci.org/douglas.htm Founded in August of 1996. Jennifer "Ginger" Ryan worked with local community members in the development of a grassroots movement to bring quality affordable healthcare to the residents of the Sulphur Springs Valley, a rural agricultural area located in Southeast Cochise County. Today it serves one of every 6 residents of Cochise County, with clinics in Bisbee, Douglas and Elfrida and mobile units, both medical and dental, that travel to remote areas.
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