Dr. Glenn Cooreman, DO at Marathon Health Center, and Jacquell Brewton, Patient Financial Services Specialist for dental services…

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Prioritizing your health is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your loved ones. At Community Health of South Florida, Inc. (CHI), we remain committed to ensuring that high-quality, accessible healthcare is available to everyone in our community in 2025. Now is a great time to schedule your annual checkups and screenings, because taking care of yourself today leads to a healthier future.

We are starting the year with exciting news! The Key Largo Health Center is nearing completion and will soon open its doors. This new, state-of-the-art facility will replace the Tavernier Health Center, offering the same great services such as Family Medicine and Pediatrics. With its larger space and modern design, the Key Largo Health Center will allow us to reach even more people in Monroe County, continuing our mission to make healthcare accessible to all. This will continue to strengthen our presence in the lower, middle, and upper Keys. In the interim, the care team will continue to see patients at our Marathon Health Center and Everglades Health Center.

Another milestone is fast approaching! On March 31st, we will celebrate a major step forward for our children’s mental health services with our Beam Signing Event for the Children’s Crisis Center. We have come a long way in turning this vision into reality, the first-ever crisis stabilization unit in southern Miami-Dade County dedicated to children suffering from severe mental illness. This center will be a game-changer for our community, offering critical care to those who need it most. Donors, community supporters, and staff will gather to sign the beams and write their place in history and the hearts and minds of our youth.

As we look ahead, it’s also a crucial time to advocate for community health centers. CHI, along with 1,400 other health centers across the nation, provides essential services to more than 30 million underserved individuals. Right now, these services are at risk. Without continued federal funding, access to affordable medications, primary care, and life-saving treatments could be jeopardized. This funding keeps our sites running, lowers healthcare costs, and ensures that care reaches those who need it most. So, stay informed and please stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to advocate for community health centers.

Thank you for being a valued part of the CHI family!

 

 

 

Blake Hall

Hector Mateo, Patient Financial Services Specialist (PFSS) at Martin Luther King, Jr. Clinica Campesina Health Center, and Dr. Sandy Santiago…

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The holiday season is upon us, and I want to take a moment to reflect on the gratitude I feel for the incredible individuals who make our mission at CHI possible. From our dedicated staff to our valued community partners, thank you for being an important part of our journey.

To our patients, we are honored to serve as your medical home. Trusting CHI with your healthcare is an honor we take seriously, and we remain committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care.

While the holidays bring joy and celebration for many, they can also be a time of difficulty for some. If you or someone you know is feeling alone, overwhelmed or in need of support, please know that help is available. Our skilled and compassionate team of psychiatrists, therapists and behavioral health professionals is here to guide you or your loved ones toward healing and hope.

As we close out 2024, I’m excited to share the progress on our Children’s Crisis Center. The underground utilities are complete, the steel beams are rising, and soon the walls will take shape. Each step brings us closer to creating a transformative space where young hearts and minds can heal.

If you’re looking for a meaningful way to give back this holiday season, consider purchasing a Brick of Hope. These personalized bricks will line the entrance of the Children’s Crisis Center and serve as a lasting tribute to your generosity and commitment to helping children in need. To learn more, visit chisouthfl.org/bricksofhope.

Additionally, I invite you to join us on December 3rd for our World AIDS Day Candlelight Memorial at the Doris Ison Health Center at 7:00 p.m. Together, we’ll honor the lives lost to HIV and AIDS, stand in solidarity with those still fighting and celebrate the progress made. This special event will feature heartfelt stories from survivors and a chance to reflect on the impact we can continue to make. As we approach the new year, I encourage you to prioritize your health, schedule your annual checkup and tell your loved ones to do the same. Let’s start 2025 with a commitment to wellness and community.

With gratitude,

 

 

 

Blake Hall

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President and CEO, Blake Hall, takes a selfie with Doris Ison’s family.

When Doris Ison founded Community Health of South Florida, Inc. (CHI) in 1971, she rallied a group of volunteer doctors to work out of two double-wide trailers on SW 216th Street. The move was a desperate measure to stop black people from dying enroute to Jackson Hospital downtown. Without any medical resources for minorities on the Southern end of the county, Ison saw the need and decided to meet it – any way she could.

Today, her dream has grown into 13 health centers, 35 school-based suites and more, providing comprehensive high-quality care to more than 65,000 patients a year.

This summer, dozens of Ison’s relatives came to visit the Doris Ison Health Center, but many had never been and did not realize just how big Ison’s vision had become.

“I am really in awe and humbled at the fact that her dream and her legacy, along with all the people that helped her at that time, were carried out,” said Kim Capers, a second cousin of Ison. “I know it couldn’t have been easy with laws and regulations at the time that excluded the minority class. But I think CHI has really developed a program that is inclusive of everyone.”

The visit was part of a family reunion. Together, they learned about the services and programs now provided by CHI and the impact the organization is making on the community.

Herbert Clarke is Ison’s nephew. He worked as a Case Manager at CHI in the late 90s and has not been back since, until now.

“It’s tremendous, the growth and impact on the community,” said Clarke. “It’s significant…just awesome.”

CHI’s President and CEO, Blake Hall, greeted the Ison family in the boardroom with a copy of the CHI History Book, “Standing in the Gap,” for each of them. He presented an overview of all the services and programs the organization offers along with the demographics of the patients served. He also spoke about developments like the Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. Teaching Health Center, dedicated to training the next generation of doctors and healthcare professionals, as well as the capital campaign to build the Children’s Crisis Center for kids with severe behavioral health issues. It is a project now under construction.

“It’s been a great journey, and it truly is an honor to be part of the evolution of Ison’s dream,” said Hall as he became emotional. “It’s now a mission that I share with my team here and gives us purpose every day.”

Generations of Ison’s family sat around the boardroom table admiring the work, commitment and compassion of the CHI staff.

“I think about how Ison, a tomato picker, was able to start something of this magnitude,” Tiffani Helberg, Vice President for Communication, told the Ison family. “It inspires me and reminds me that anything is possible when you are determined to make a change and lives are at stake.”

Many of Ison’s relatives vowed to stay committed and connected to CHI like Carolyn Taylor Pates who has served as a board member for years. They want to watch Doris Ison’s vision continue to blossom for people of all races and demographics.