If health centers are the chemistry for strong communities, then patients are the elements that keep them bonded together. Community Health of South Florida (CHI) understands that without the patients, it would not be the organization it is today. To show appreciation, CHI wants to celebrate patients and staff during National Health Center Week (NHCW).

“National Health Center Week (NHCW) is an annual celebration that raises awareness about the mission and accomplishments of community health centers across the nation. It is an opportunity for the organization to celebrate the commitment and work of our staff, the support of our community partners, and the loyalty of our patients,” says Carol Blackwell-Curry, CHI Director of Volunteer Services and Event Coordination.

CHI’s National Health Center Week will be filled with special events for the community. Each day is focused on service and gratitude. During NHCW, August 8-14, CHI will reach all parts of the community, including public housing, agricultural workers, and the homeless population. CHI will also thank patients for 50 years of loyalty on their very own Patient Appreciation day. On Saturday, August 14th, CHI will host a family-friendly drive-in movie night that is open to the public. Upon entry, each car will be given movie snack bags and backpacks with school supplies.

CHI also plans to show appreciation to its devoted and compassionate staff. The care team works cooperatively all year to provide high-quality health care, improve health outcomes, and narrow health disparities.

“We thank all of you for trusting us with your healthcare needs for 50 years,” said Blake Hall, CHI President. “We also thank our staff for the hard work and dedication that you put in day in and day out providing quality care to South Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.”

NHCW activities build on CHI’s past while celebrating and getting ready for its future.

Health in Public Housing Day
8/9 – CHI delivers school supplies to the community.

Agricultural Worker Day
8/10 – CHI visits Centro Campesino Farmworkers Center to deliver Care Packs with school supplies to families.

Patient Appreciation Day
8/11 – CHI thanks its patients for 50 years of loyalty.

Stakeholder Appreciation Day
8/12 – CHI delivers plaques to Miami-Dade and Monroe police and community partners.

Healthcare for the Homeless Day & Staff Appreciation Day
8/13 – CHI delivers backpacks with supplies to the homeless and honors its amazing staff.

Children & Youth Day
8/13 – CHI hosts Drive-In Movie Night from 7PM to 10PM.

Another special event that CHI has in store is School Physical Day. CHI will provide affordable school and sports physicals as well as free vaccinations on Saturday, August 21st, so students can get back to school healthy and safe. Events like this help to eliminate barriers to care.
School Physicals $35 | Sports Physicals with EKG $50 and without EKG $35

 

There was something very unique about the 2021 graduating class of the Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. Teaching Health Center. It wasn’t the fact that all five graduates were brilliant young doctors, even though they were. It was the fact that all of them were women. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there has been a steady rise in the number of women students, and CHI’s 2021 class was living proof.

Four family medicine residents and one psychiatry resident received medals and certificates at the graduation on June 12.

“We are very proud of our graduates,” said Dr. Elizabeth Philippe, Chief of Family Medicine, Associate Director of Medical Education, and Program Director for Family Medicine. “They are now better clinicians with diverse experience, who are ready to provide high-quality services.”

The graduation was streamed live on CHI’s Facebook and YouTube pages. Dr. Romeena Lee, graduate and chief resident, addressed those in attendance.

“I have found a place that fulfilled my heart again, where I was able to learn and help those with the most needs,” said Dr. Lee. “I call CHI my ‘little gem in the South’.”

Dr. Sydney Coupet, founder of SPARK Health, delivered the keynote address.
“I am so excited to share this special day with these graduates and their families as they start the next phase of their medical career,” said Dr. Coupet. “CHI has definitely attracted the best and brightest physicians from across the country to train right here and enhance its goal to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care to the community.”

On June 23, CHI also held a virtual White Coat Ceremony to welcome the incoming class of residents, which included four family medicine and three psychiatry residents. The donning of the white coat is a symbol of passage for incoming residents, as they take on the responsibility of becoming a physician for the community.

This moment was especially important for resident Dr. Yeily Hernandez-Mato. When she was only 18, she nearly died in a violent car accident. Four months later, she was released from the hospital, left to recover in her mother’s car as the two of them were homeless. Without any money or insurance, Hernandez-Mato went to CHI where doctors nursed her back to health. On June 23, she returned full circle to train and serve among those doctors.

“It’s an emotional moment for me to come back to CHI,” said Dr. Hernandez-Mato. “The care team here showed me compassion, and now I have the opportunity to show others the same compassion.”

On May 4th, therapeutic foster mom Maureen Lewis was welcomed by honks, cheers, and applause as she drove into the Doris Ison Health Center with her two foster children. After a difficult year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she smiled at the familiar faces waving back at her.

In honor of Foster Parent Appreciation Month, the staff at Community Health of South Florida, Inc. (CHI) gathered in the parking lot with a tent full of self-care gifts for Lewis and the other 27 families served by the Specialized Therapeutic Foster Care Program. Typically an in-person luncheon, this year’s Foster Parent Appreciation event was held via a drive-through format to express gratitude and appreciation for CHI’s therapeutic foster parents, while complying with CDC guidelines.

“Some days are rough, and that day I felt appreciated so much,” Lewis said. “The cheering and clapping were very special for me. It showed me that I’m not working alone. CHI put a lot of effort into making sure that we understood that we are appreciated.”

Parents of the Specialized Therapeutic Foster Care Program, like Lewis, foster children with behavioral health issues and are trained to handle severe outbursts and trauma every day. What is already a challenging task was further amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lewis did not have the option to work from home during lockdown. With the shortage of day care access for foster children, she had to use her vacation days in order to stay home with the kids. Many outdoor activities were also cancelled, and most therapeutic services that would normally be in-home were moved to telehealth.

“Being a foster parent is a 24/7 job, and many of these kids have been with five or more families,” said Maria Zuniga, head of the Specialized Therapeutic Foster Care Program.

Zuniga, who works with these foster parents day in and day out, was also at the Foster Appreciation Drive-Through. She said the impact that foster parents have is life-changing.

“The parents in our program are making sure that these kids don’t end up homeless or in the prison system. They are helping to break the cycle,” Zuniga said. “Our hope is that these kids can go to school, make a career, and create families of their own one day.”Despite the challenges they faced, CHI’s therapeutic foster parents persevered – a true testament to their dedication and unwavering love for the children they foster.

 

On May 12th, excitement buzzed at the Doris Ison Health Center. As the Happy Birthday song played, CHI staff prepared for a day they would never forget: CHI’s 50th anniversary. In celebration of 50 years of service to the South Florida community, CHI held its Patient Loyalty Awards in the morning, which honored 15 families who have been patients for generations; 25, 30 and 50 years.

“It is a very emotional day for all of us when we look back at the five decades, a legacy of excellence in caring for the South Florida community and to think how far we have come, and the privilege you have given us to care for you and your families, some from birth well into old age,” said Tiffani Helberg, Vice President for Communications.

At the end of the ceremony, CHI presented the families with special gifts. On the count of three, each family opened their box, releasing paper butterflies into the air. President, Blake Hall, then gave his closing remarks, and the lively Junkanoo band took center stage to finish off a vibrant celebration.

In the evening, CHI’s virtual birthday party and donor recognition event celebrated the first annual induction of donors into the Giving Societies. Barry Johnson, Chair of the Children’s Crisis Center capital campaign, served as emcee for the ceremony. Attendees included Miami-Dade County.

Commissioner Kionne McGhee and State Representative Kevin Chambliss. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also made a special appearance via a video birthday message for CHI.

To open the event, CEO Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. recounted CHI’s rich history, from two trailers to 11 health centers, 35 school-based programs, mobile medical and dental units, and a teaching health center. The ceremony not only celebrated the organization’s milestones, but also created a new milestone along the way as more than 80 donors were inducted into CHI’s Giving Societies. Every single contribution has brought CHI closer to realizing the first Children’s Crisis Center in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

“Thanks to the immense support from the public and private donors, we are less than $1.2 million away from reaching the $5.5 million needed for construction,” said Anthony Acevedo, Chairman of the CHI Foundation. “The finish line for this campaign is clearly visible, and together we will cross it in the name of the thousands of children in our community suffering with severe mental illness.”

Outgoing Chairman of the Board, Arjun Saluja and Director of Development Victoria Castro ended the night with a few heartfelt words of gratitude for the people who make everything possible: CHI’s dedicated leaders and donors.

If you would like to support our Children’s Crisis Center, please visit chisouthfl.org/give.

Nurse Syndia Jean-Baptist sobbed when she received her ACTion Hero Award alongside fellow school-based nurses, Norma Carrasco and Bethany Simmons-Little, at Community Health of South Florida, Inc by the CEO, Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. 

The emotional wounds were still raw. Just two weeks prior, Jean-Baptist found herself performing CPR on her former high school teacher at Homestead Middle School on February 26th. 

“When I arrived, I noticed he was slumped over in a chair with agonal breathing and gasping sounds,” said Jean-Baptist. “I quickly gave directive to call 911.”

The teacher did not have a pulse and was placed on the floor where Nurse Jean-Baptist began chest compressions until fire rescue arrived. Very quickly, paramedics began further measures to save the teacher who was having a massive heart attack. 

“I just knew I had to give my everything to save his life,” she said.

Once he was breathing on his own again, the teacher was transferred to Jackson South Hospital. He survived for 9 days, just enough time for him to see his family again. Unfortunately, he later passed away after another heart attack.  

“It’s still very hard for me to process all of this,” said Jean-Baptist. “I am happy to know that I did all I could to give him another chance.”

Nurse Bethany Simmons-Little also experienced a similar case on February 18th when she saved a female teacher at Leisure City K-8 School. 

Simmons-Little was called into a classroom where she found the teacher unresponsive with her eyes opened and no pulse.

“It is very hard to find yourself in a situation like that,” said Simmons-Little. “The school was counting on me to save this woman’s life.”

She rapidly began chest compressions as a police officer utilized the Automated External Defibrillator (AED). 

“When paramedics arrived, they determined she had a massive heart attack,” said Simmons-Little. “I almost thought I lost her.”

The teacher was admitted to the ICU at Jackson South Hospital and is slowly recovering. After a successful surgery, she remains stable and alert.

“I am so thankful that I can be of help for those at Leisure City K-8 School to keep our next generations well and healthy,” said Simmons-Little.

Nurse Norma Carrasco also had to act quickly when she was called to the courtyard of Braddock Holmes High School. She found a student, who appeared gray in color, choking on a piece of chicken. 

“The school staff had already attempted to dislodge the chicken from the student’s airway before I got there,” said Carrasco. “My first thought was to apply the Heimlich maneuver to help him.”

Carrasco’s quick thinking saved the boy’s life. 

“I am very happy to say that he is doing very well, and there was no need to call 911,” said Carrasco.