In Acres Properties, 46% of residents are labeled as overweight, 18% have diabetes, 42.5% endure from hypertension, 20% wrestle with poor psychological well being and 12% stay with bronchial asthma.
To say Acres Properties is in want of a severe healthcare improve is an understatement.
Enter Legacy Neighborhood Well being, which not too long ago broke floor on a brand new, state-of-the-art clinic – the Legacy Acres Properties Clinic (LAHC) – within the traditionally Black and Latino neighborhood in north Houston that has lengthy confronted extreme healthcare entry gaps.
“We’re so lucky to have the ability to accomplice with Houston Methodist. They’ve granted us $51 million so as to have the ability to go into two areas (Pasadena and Acres Properties) the place there isn’t the entry to healthcare that we might count on or wish to see in a metropolis comparable to ours, the fourth largest metropolis in america,” stated the Chief Medical Officer of Acres Properties’ new clinic, Dr. Tamisha Jones.
Legacy Neighborhood Well being is the most important Federally Certified Well being Middle (FQHC) in Texas. Legacy and Houston Methodist have had a long-standing relationship for over 25 years. The $51 million present from Houston Methodist is the most important donation Legacy has acquired in its historical past and helps the 2 organizations come collectively to fill a major hole within the Pasadena and Acres Properties communities.
Houston Methodist is simply as enthusiastic about partnering with Legacy, in response to Cathy Easter, senior vp of group growth at Houston Methodist.
“The Acres Properties clinic is a part of a greater than 30-year dedication we’ve made to deal with the well being care wants of our group,” stated Easter. “We’re proud to increase our partnership with Legacy Neighborhood Well being in Acres Properties. We stay up for deepening ties on this historic and very important group and offering entry to high quality well being care in service of the group.”
Acres Properties is 48% African American and 42% Hispanic. One quarter of Acres Properties’ residents are uninsured, and one in 5 residents stay beneath the poverty line.
Many Acres Properties residents, together with Rosie Powell, consider their group has been ignored in a number of methods.
Powell not too long ago spoke about Governor Greg Abbott’s delayed announcement relating to the date to elect District 18’s U.S. Consultant. She related this group “diss” to Acres Properties’ want for higher healthcare.
“Our seat in Congress is empty, and each day that goes by with out a consultant, choices are being made about our healthcare, our social safety and our lives with nobody there to talk for us,” Powell stated.
The group’s fighter in Austin, State Rep. Charlene Johnson, has higher well being realities for her constituents on her want record.
“We positively want to manage having high quality air,” stated Johnson. “We wish to ensure that individuals know that our well being is simply as vital. We wish to have a top quality of life regardless of the place your zip code is.”
Acres Properties’ new 26,000 sq. foot clinic, which is able to open in the summertime of 2026, will likely be geared up to deal with a variety of well being points.
The LAHC will provide entry to inexpensive well being care and providers, together with a full vary of grownup drugs, pediatrics, behavioral well being, pharmacy, OB/GYN, infusion remedy, wraparound providers, eligibility providers and pharmacy. The clinic will provide 4 infusion bays as a part of its infusion pharmacy providers, bringing critically wanted oncology care to the group.
The ability will cine geared up with 24 state-of-the-art examination rooms, together with 12 for pediatrics, 12 for adults and OB/GYN and two for behavioral well being.
“It’s gonna be a recreation changer… We now have historically completed such a tremendous job wherever we put our clinics to ensure that it suits in and is aligned with the footprint of the group,” stated Jones, referring to art work and different measures to ensure Legacy’s clinics replicate the communities by which they reside.
“That’s precisely what we plan to do in Acres House, to have the ability to interact the group across the bodily area in order that it actually does really feel like residence whenever you stroll in,” stated Jones. “It’s meant to be a medical residence. It’s meant to really feel like a spot that the Acres Properties group could be pleased with and really feel comfy in and know that, ‘Hey, that is my medical residence.’”
