Video Credit: Brian Myers
By Brian Myers
Health care assistants went door to door last week inviting residents of the 94-unit Hollywood Palms on Home Avenue to their on-site health screening.
The residents were provided free dental screenings and bone density scans by professionals from the La Maestra Community Health Centers.
It was part of an ongoing collaboration between La Maestra and the affordable housing property’s manager, City Heights Community Development Corporation.
Rosie Montijo, Resident Services Program Manager at the City Heights CDC, said they speak with their residents about health care needs regularly to try to lessen the disparities.
“Some of the residents,” Montijo said, “are not aware that certain health care services are necessary. Some of the women come from a country where those health care services are not practiced.”
Others, Montijo said, lack health insurance, wish to keep their health concerns private, or just don’t feel comfortable going to a traditional clinic.
Last year, the two organizations responded to the need with a health fair in a community park. Moving forward, they decided to use La Maestra’s mobile health clinic approach to bring temporary clinics directly to the residents of City Heights CDC properties.
R. Daniel Hernandez, a spokesman for La Maestra, said the outreach also benefits the health center by helping providers get a better idea of the health care needs of the community, introducing La Maestra’s services to people aren’t aware they’re available, and providing an opportunity to educate the community about the Affordable Care Act.
“The bill goes into effect next year,” Hernandez said, “but what we’re presently doing is educating the community on who qualifies, what their rights are, what coverages there are, what the different health plans are, [and] the types of services, so people can find a medical home and make sure they’re covered.”