Center for Community Health Opens in Skid Row to Provide Healthcare Services to Nearly 9,000 Patients Annually

Center for Community Health Opens in Skid Row to Provide Healthcare Services
to Nearly 9,000 Patients Annually
- Integrated Healthcare Delivery System to Help Improve Health Outcomes and
Overall Access to Care -

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Weingart Center Association, JWCH
Institute and the County of Los Angeles announced today the opening of the
Center for Community Health Downtown Los Angeles, a state-of-the-art medical
facility that provides integrated care to the more than 18,000 homeless and
low-income people in and around Skid Row. The 21,000-square-foot facility,
located at 522 S. San Pedro Street, is expected to meet the healthcare needs
of nearly 9,000 patients annually. The center will provide a variety of
medical services under one roof, including medical, mental health, substance
abuse services, dentistry, ophthalmology and pharmacy. The opening of the
center represents more than five years of dedicated work by collaborative
partners and successfully demonstrates how important public-private
partnerships are in addressing the needs of the community.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity to open a health center that provides
comprehensive services under one roof," said Gregory C. Scott, president and
chief executive officer of the Weingart Center Association. "The Weingart
Center is very excited to be a part of this collaboration that provides the
much-needed access to care and a 'medical home' for the people in our
community without the stigma associated with lack of housing and poor access
to health coverage."

Los Angeles County's estimated homeless population is the largest in the
nation. On any given night there are there are approximately 75,000 homeless
people living on the streets, of which 5,000 are located in Los Angeles' Skid
Row. According to the Los Angeles Housing Authority, more than 74 percent are
affected by depression, mental illness, substance abuse, physical
disabilities, AIDS/HIV related illnesses, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and
other chronic health conditions. Hospital emergency rooms are the primary
source of healthcare for 48 percent of these individuals who lack access to
regular medical services.

"This new health center is a giant step forward as we work to meet the nearly
overwhelming need for quality healthcare services in and around Skid Row,"
said Al Ballesteros, chief executive officer of JWCH Institute. "The
integrated service delivery approach will help to eliminate service
duplication, maximize resources and expand current services."

The Center for Community Health emerged from the Skid Row Homeless Healthcare
Initiative created by the Weingart Foundation in 2003. The Weingart Foundation
began the initiative to address the unmet health needs of homeless individuals
and support improvements in healthcare delivery to enable access to care.
Funding from the foundation and other philanthropic organizations made it
possible for community organizations to develop this innovative approach to
healthcare delivery.

"The Weingart Foundation is exceptionally proud to provide the lead gift for
this community health center," said Fred Ali, president and chief executive
officer of the Weingart Foundation. "We would also like to acknowledge the
other funders that joined this long-term effort. The Weingart Foundation is
dedicated to improving the quality of life in Southern California and this
health center is an exciting culmination of community efforts to address the
important healthcare needs of individuals in Downtown Los Angeles.

The County of Los Angeles is providing professional staff from various
departments to implement this integrated model of care. The Department of
Mental Health will provide mental health screening, assessment, treatment and
medication support. The Department of Public Health will provide radiology
services and host TB medical clinics on site to provide TB testing, treatment
and directly observed therapy, as well as substance abuse services through the
DPH-Alcohol and Drug Programs Administration. The Department of Health
Services will provide HIV testing and treatment, and referrals for mental
health services and case management.

"The County of Los Angeles is proud to be a part of the unique partnership and
opening of the Center for Community Health," said Kathy House, manager of the
Service Integration Branch of the County's CEO's office. "The center provides
a unique approach to healthcare integration in the county which we hope will
serve as a model for replication."

About the Collaboration
The opening of the Center for Community Health represents more than five years
of dedicated work by the collaborative partners and successfully demonstrates
how important public-private partnerships are in addressing the needs of our
communities. The Weingart Center Association dedicated one of its facilities
for the center, led the capital campaign and played an instrumental role in
raising approximately $5.5 million for the renovation of the building. JWCH
Institute will manage the day-to-day operations of the center and the delivery
of medical services. The County of Los Angeles has committed the redirection
of existing resources and financial support for the center.

MEDIA CONTACT: Emily Daigle
Edelman
P: 323-202-1427

SOURCE The Weingart Center Association

Emily Daigle of Edelman, +1-323-202-1427, for The Weingart Center Association