Ascension DePaul Services
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Mission Statement
Since 1958, Ascension DePaul Services of San Antonio has been dedicated to the mission of establishing and maintaining neighborhood-based programs that will increase accessibility to child care, wellness, social services, dental and health care services in southwest San Antonio and south Bexar County., particularly for poor and vulnerable populations. We operate five health and social services centers: DePaul Family Center, DePaul Children's Center, DePaul-Wesley Children's Center, La Mision Family Health Care Clinic and El Carmen Wellness Center. We serve over 14,000 struggling families in our centers annually. La Mision Family Health Care is the only healthcare facility of any kind, public or private within an eight-mile radius in far south San Antonio.
About This Cause
The Daughters of Charity first came to San Antonio in September of 1958 at the request of Father Raymond Francis O’Brien to minister to the people of El Carmen, St. Leo, St. Anthony, and San Francisco de la Espada parishes. In 1959, a two-room house was moved to the El Carmen property, renovated and divided into five rooms by the men of the parish. This first El Carmen Clinic, equipped and supplied by the Daughters of Charity Hospitals, opened in the spring of 1961 to provide general medical services exclusively provided by volunteers. In April 1964, a small 24 by 26 foot cinder-block building replaced the house as the clinic facility. In these rooms obstetrics, dermatology, minor surgery, pediatrics, medical and well baby clinics were held. It also became a birthing center for the area. A Daughter of Charity Nurse Midwife delivered the first baby in the clinic in June of 1964. By the clinic’s last delivery in January of 1969 a total of 151 babies took their first breaths at the El Carmen Clinic. In November of 1968, a modest one-story building was erected on Somerset Road. Known as the DePaul Family Center, the center initially offered a wide range of medical, dental and social services. In 1983, DePaul became a United Way agency. The need of single parents and two wage-earner families for safe, affordable day care was recognized in 1984. Shortly after the doors for this child care facility opened, the State requested to place abused and /or neglected children at DePaul. These children also required transportation to and from the center each day, and special care to overcome developmental delay. Furthermore, the need to support teenage mothers was quickly recognized, since many were dropping out of school permanently in order to care for their babies. By 1987, the Child Development Center at DePaul had grown to accommodate, 120 children and in 1992 we were licensed for 129 children. In 1999, South San School District contracted with DePaul Child Development for 16 slots for special needs children ages three and four. The school district supplies two special education teachers, a teacher’s aide plus some equipment; the children attend at no charge. In 2003 DePaul Child Development Center took a giant leap forward by earning national accreditation from the National Association for Education of Young Children. The five-year accreditation process moves the center into the elite group of only 29 child development centers in all of San Antonio, the only accredited center south of downtown. Another significant event for child development occurred in March 2004, when the Daughters of Charity Services assumed management of the Wesley Child Development Center. That center has space for 130 children ages six weeks to four years, plus an after school program for up to age 12. In May 2004 the Board of Trustees voted to name the center DePaul-Wesley Children’s Center to honor the 90 years of service Wesley Community Center had in the neighborhood. St. Philip of Jesus Center came into existence in November 1979. The house in which the center was located needed many repairs, so the first day of operation was held in the church hall. Patient records were kept on 3x5 cards, the “pharmacy” was contained in a paper bag, and the examining table was sheets over an office desk. After the house was repaired, the clinic was equipped through donations from the Santa Rosa Hospital and other area clinics. St. Bridget volunteers and people from the neighborhood provided supplies. The center’s role in the community expanded, and in August of 1981 the center was incorporated under the name: St. Philip of Jesus Holistic Health Center. In 1982 counseling services began using volunteers and students. Specialty clinics were started in 1983, and the University of Texas dental van began providing services in 1984. To ensure stability of the center, the sponsorship of the Daughters of Charity National Health System began in 1985.The Center was renovated in June 1991. In July 1987, the three centers, which were distinct entities, were incorporated under Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio with the names: The El Carmen Center, the DePaul Family Center and the St. Philip of Jesus Center. Also in 1987 Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio was incorporated into the Daughters of Charity National Health System, West Central Region. These consolidations brought economies of scale for the purchase of supplies, insurance, employee benefits and so forth. By 1993, St. Philip of Jesus Center began experiencing a decline in client volumes. The parish that it served had become increasingly transient, and the center’s services area did not resemble the make-up of a neighborhood center. A decision by the Trustees to close the center in 1996 reflected these trends. In addition, the Trustees had recognized that several other providers in the same area were meeting the needs of the poor, and that the resources could be redirected towards the unmet needs in the DePaul and El Carmen and all dental services were consolidated at DePaul Family Center. In 1998, Daughters of Charity Services of San Antonio’s fortieth year, plans of a new large primary care clinic were approved. The groundbreaking for La Mision Family Health Care occurred in June 1999 and services began January 2000. Today the Daughters of Charity National Health System continues under a new model of co-sponsorship that invites collaboration with other Catholic systems that share our common mission, vision, and values. On November 1, 1999 the Daughters of Charity National Health System and the Sisters of St. Joseph Health System, united to form Ascension Health, the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in the world, as well as the largest Catholic health system in the United States. Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet joined later in 2005. Ascension Health is a network of hospitals and related health facilities providing acute care services, long-term care, community health services, psychiatric, rehabilitation and residential care. Sponsored by four provinces of the Daughters of Charity, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Nazareth and Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Ascension Health is committed to caring for those who are most in need in the communities Ascension serves. Almost 20 percent of the families are female head of household. In many others, both parents work. Due to their income, most lack access to affordable child care. They have neither health insurance nor the money to pay for health care when a family member is ill. Diabetes and hypertension are prevalent among Hispanics. Dental care is not a priority for the poor, until pain becomes overwhelming. Their medical conditions are often complicated because they do not take medications as directed. All of our neighborhoods have been federally designated as medically underserved areas. The poor in these neighborhoods lack accessible transportation to enable them to reach affordable medical and dental care, and other social services. Problems associated with alcoholism, abuse and neglect are often ignored because of the lack of resources. Despite these disadvantages, the communities we serve have several strengths which breed hope for betterment of the neighborhood. The parishes that we serve have very active churches—St. Clare Church in the DePaul area and El Carmen Church in the El Carmen and La Mision area. In fact, we are next-door neighbors with the churches. Faith communities in each of the parishes have been supportive of the centers throughout our history. Also, both parishes have active community development organizations that have achieved tangible results for social justice and obtaining infrastructure for the community. Family loyalty is extremely strong. Running throughout the Hispanic culture is a zest for celebration, thankfulness and recognition of a common heritage. Services. Through our centers we minister to over 30,000 sick, needy and troubled clients each year as we try to discern the invisible beauty of Christ abiding in each of them, since what we do, we are doing for Christ Himself. Disease prevention is the focus of our activities, but we provide primary medical outpatient services at La Mision Family Health Care five days a week. Child Care. Safe, bilingual, and educationally sound child development is provided at DePaul Family Center and DePaul-Wesley Children’s Center, Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for children ages 2 weeks to 12 years. A heavy emphasis is placed on learning and socialization with other children. One of the most important features of this program is the nutrition component. All children receive two hot meals and a healthy snack daily. For many of these children, this is the bulk of their weekly nutrition. Classes are organized by age, and activities are planned appropriate to the developmental needs of the group. Activities are well balanced between learning, motor-skills, play and recreation. We have the capacity for 200 children, between the two campuses, depending on the mix of the children’s age. Dental. DePaul Family Center provides affordable primary dental services, including preventive dentistry, restorations, extractions, and education. A dentist and a dental hygienist provide the care. The dental clinic was expanded from two-to-four dental chairs in 1996 to meet growing needs. Medical. The medical program provides full-time primary care services to clients of all ages. Routine preventative care, such as well-child physicals and immunizations, are provided regularly. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and infections are the most common ailments that we treat. Simple diagnostic tests and medications are also available at La Mision. When needed, we are able to link patients with specialty services at the University Health System, several other health systems in San Antonio.