Giving Back Magazine April 2018 | Page 48

Community SAN YSIDRO HEALTH E The Need and the Plan ach year more and more children arrive at San Ysidro Health in need of critical health services. They come for primary care, immunizations, specialty care, nutrition education and dental services. Children’s health needs have been constantly growing in our community since 1969, when San Ysidro Health’s Dr. Indocochea and patient Founding Mothers created the first casita to provide children living in poverty quality, compassionate care. While the demand has continued to grow year after year, capacity is limited. Maternal & Child Health Center is a 25,000 square foot, state of the art, full-service health facility providing excellent health services to all who need them. The center opened in 2009 and immediately reached patient capacity. Today the clinic is seeing nearly 15,500 patients a year. Research shows nearly 7,000 more young patients are in need of health services. Originally, a 6,000 square foot section of the building was not built out and has been sitting empty, but San Ysidro Health made a commitment to complete construction on the space this year. A plan was needed to grow pediatric care services, so San Ysidro Health committed to a capital expansion campaign. They have chosen San Ysidro Health Maternal & Child Health Center as the site to provide these services. The expansion will ensure 7,000 more children who live below the federal poverty level will be provided excellent care and grow to be healthy and productive members of our community. The entire project will include 13 additional exam rooms, 6 additional full-time physicians, and has a build-out budget of $4 million. Federal, county and private grants totaling nearly $1.5 million have already been secured. San Ysidro Health is reaching out to the community for support. They have developed naming opportunities, donor engagement programs and more, and look forward to sharing their campaign success stories as they unfold. 48 GBSAN.COM | APRIL 2018 San Ysidro Health Maternal & Child Health Center