DePaul Community Health Centers in New Orleans continues to expand to serve rising community needs. The Ascension community health ministry’s efforts were highlighted recently in Catholic Health World, a publication of the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
The story noted the recent groundbreaking for an expanded clinic in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans. That clinic is expected to open in September 2024, with five times as much space and more on-site services than the facility it’s replacing. Another new clinic opened a few months ago in Harvey, Louisiana, and still another is under construction in the Central City neighborhood and is slated to begin serving patients in mid-December 2023. The ministry has grown to 11 standing clinics plus two mobile units since it began in 1997. It also provides healthcare services at more than 20 local schools.
“Our goal is to improve the health status of the entire community,”.President and CEO Michael Griffin told Catholic Health World.
Jennifer Frizzell, Vice President of Population Health and Quality Management, told CHW that the ministry served about 50,000 unique patients – including 13,000 children – in 2022, about double the number from 2012. Among them, 97% meet federal guidelines for low income and 87% identify as part of a racial or ethnic minority.
Jennifer said beyond providing traditional behavioral health care, DePaul Community Health Centers providers screen patients for social determinants of health needs, such as food insecurity and housing.
“The average patient here at DePaul Community Health Centers doesn’t have just one social determinant they’re trying to overcome,” she told Catholic Health World. “The average is actually seven, seven things in their life that are preventing them from putting themselves and or their healthcare as a priority.”
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Photo: Residents line up for a weekly food giveaway at DePaul Community Health Centers' headquarters in the Gert Town neighborhood of New Orleans. The giveaway is held in conjunction with the Second Harvest Community Food Bank.
