PASADENA HEALTH CENTER INC

The goal of Pasadena Health Center is to reduce or eliminate Pasadena community health disparities through health care and outreach. PHC will make health care affordable for the medically underserved community that exists in Pasadena, Texas and offer these services to people in surrounding cities who have transportation to the center. PHC through its promotion, case management and other services will promote healthier lifestyles. These two thrusts are expected to impact the health disparities which make Pasadena, TX, a MUA. These thrusts are incorporated in our mission vision statements.

PHC is a full-service health center concentrating on the dominance disparities in the Pasadena Community.
Services that address these dominant disparities are:

• Primary care services to residents living below 150% of poverty and expanding eligibility to include those residents living up to 200% of poverty,
• Developing and enhancing services to ensure that patients have access to a full continuum of health and human services,
• Providing dental services, particularly pediatric dentistry,
Expanded mental health and substance abuse services,
Provide an in-house pharmacy, and hours and convenience to the working poor.
• Client and community education in all encounters and materials both in English and Spanish when available.

Pasadena Health Center has helped:
1) Support CPR for Pasadena High School. The center donated manikins for training and helped with the initial organization and planning.
2) Supported all health fairs with Pasadena ISD where a representative was able to be present.
3)The center director currently serves on the School Based Advisory Committee for Pasadena ISD.
4) Working with Pasadena Parks and Recreation to provide healthy living for the City of Pasadena
5) Currently working with MD Anderson; smoking prevention, colon screening.
6) Currently working with the ROSE for mammography screening.
7) Provided free Covid testing and free Covid 19 vaccines both through the mobile clinic and medical clinic.
8) Expanding Dental Services thanks to a grant from Delta Dental to help senior adults
9) Provided wide spread back to school vaccinations in 2021 to help students returning back to school
10) Working with UT Houston to address Diabetes, and Hypertension

Family Medicine- Dr. Bernal has 30 years' experience as a Family Practice Physician and has served in the military. He attended UT San Antonio and his Medical School was at UTMB San Antonio.
Internal Medicine- Dr. Allison has 32 years' experience working as a doctor and 23 in Texas. Her specialty is Internal Medicine, with an emphasis on Endocrinology and Diabetes Management. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan Puerto Rico. She completed her fellowship in Internal Medicine in Puerto Rico as well. She has had research published in the Journal of Oncology. She speaks Spanish fluently and enjoys spending time with her patients and helping them with their medical needs.
Dental- Lissy John has just started working for the center. She is a graduate of the UT Houston dental school and has worked in private dentistry before coming to Pasadena Health Center. For a three-month period Dr. John provided free dental screenings to over 88 patients who had no means of acquiring these services.
OB/GYN- Dr. Harlan Wichelhaus attended Bowman Gray School Of Medicine (Wake Forest University) in 1981. He has served in the United States Air Force and completed an internship at Keesler Air Force Base Medical Center in OB/GYN. He has over 31 years of medical experience and currently maintains a private practice in addition to his work at Pasadena Health Center.
Counseling- Danny Edwards, LPC- graduated from University of Houston Clear Lake and is licensed as a Marriage and Family Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and Licensed Professional Counselor. He currently works full time in private practice in Alvin and part time for the clinic. He works with both children and adults and can counsel on many issues including chemical dependency, attention deficit disorder, depression, and marriage counseling.
Clara Pena was added to counseling services and currently works with patients who speak Spanish. She is a LPC and has her doctorate from UHCL. She also does specialty work such as play therapy.

The center is working on expanding the dental program. We will offer free cleanings to Seniors who currently do no have an expanded Medicare plan. We are also working with UT Houston to address diabetes and hypertension and will consider adding nutrition and exercise programs.