WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Wellness checks are taking place at the Florida Atlantic University Northwest Community Health Alliance Center in West Palm Beach.
"We provide integrated primary mental and health care services. We are here, we provide service for anyone," said Karen Chambers, a family nurse practitioner at the center.
The clinic opened its doors last April in the U.B. Kinsey Educational and Community Center. It's a community considered underserved near 8th Street and Division Avenue.
It's seeing a need to provide a place for the community where health care costs and transportation are a struggle.
"Unfortunately, access to health care has been a huge barrier," said Teresa Johnson, a Northwest Community Alliance board member. "While we saw those two barriers, we also saw individuals who said we have a need for mental services here in historic northwest."
Johnson said access to care is in walking distance.
"We know that there are chronic diseases that run rampant in our community. And so, we want to be able to educate individuals for instance how to maintain your diabetes. How to eat right, how to exercise," Johnson said.
It's about helping the community through a grant from the Palm Health Foundation.
"There was a very deep recognition that there were significant health disparities in the northwest neighborhood," said Abigail Goodwin, the vice president for grants and community investments with Palm Health Foundation.
Working together to help the community.
"The leadership at that local level has been really exciting to watch and the collaborations they've been able to pull together as a result of that work. We are extremely excited about the forward momentum," Goodwin said.
Florida Atlantic University/Northwest Community Health Alliance Center is located at 720 8th Street in West Palm Beach. It's open Tuesdays and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information call 561-803-8880.
