DENTAL PROGRAMS

El Rio operates the largest non-profit dental clinic in the State of Arizona, with more than 35,000 treatment visits per year. According to the Arizona Department of Oral Health, 36% of children, 44% of adults and 67% of seniors in our state have no dental coverage. To assist patients that do not have the resources available for preventive dental care, El Rio established the Dental Partnership Program, which offers free dental services to qualified patients most in need. The program also educates the community at large about the importance of good oral health.

In addition, El Rio's "Right From the Start" program addresses the problem of early childhood caries by educating pregnant and postpartum women on the importance of oral hygiene for both mother and child.  The Fluoride Varnish Program aims to significantly reduce the incidence of early childhood caries in approximately 2,000 children by applying varnish treatments and providing caries assessments to kids in our clinics; educating families on the need for early and regular pediatric dental care; and enrolling children with the El Rio Dental Clinic as soon as their first primary teeth come in.  El Rio's Fluoride Varnish Program is supported by generous contributions from Qwest, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Cardinals Charities, Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation, Union Pacific Railroad Foundation, and Long Realty Cares Foundation.   See the Video >>

DIABETES EDUCATION

El Rio is committed to working on public-private partnerships that reduce health disparities and expand access to medicines and services for underserved populations. Given the demonstrated effectiveness of promotora programs in border health communities, we were excited to have the opportunity to expand our current promotora program through a new partnership with Pfizer, Inc.

Pfizer's initial support helped us launch critical outreach and follow up services for El Rio's existing diabetes prevention and wellness initiatives. El Rio promotoras are working in conjunction with our physicians, Clinical Pharmacists, Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and Women's Wellness staff to identify at-risk families on Tucson's south and west sides. The promotoras facilitate risk assessments, health screenings, education (including ongoing classes in diabetes prevention), referrals to clinic-based services, and support activities.  See the Video >>

HOMELESS SERVICES

Of the estimated 12,000 homeless individuals in Tucson, over 8,500 have received primary healthcare, case management, advocacy, and behavioral health services through El Rio Community Health Center. Through The Health Education Project (THE Project) El Rio coordinates with 25 other non-profit and government entities to deliver workforce development and health education classes at shelters and prison sites throughout our community. In addition to developing curricula and recruiting volunteer instructors, THE Project provides class site coordination as well as materials and training to the volunteers. We currently have curriculum developed for40 topics, and have 55 volunteers who in turn conduct over 75 health education classes per month. Last year over 3,400 homeless and at-risk persons living in transitional housing or prison participated in the training classes. On top of that, thanks to grants from corporations, foundations and individuals El Rio is able to provide eyeglasses and transportation (bus passes) to Tucson's homeless population.

IMMUNIZATIONS

The El Rio Children's Immunization Program was started to help the many parents we serve have their children immunized in a timely manner - especially low-income families who are oftenholding down multiple jobs with little flexibility. We are successful because 1) we run free weekly walk-in immunization clinics at multiple sites regardless of whether or not children have appointments and 2) we use the power of technology to track patients and have a bilingual staff member recall them at recommended intervals to come in and complete the schedule of vaccinations. El Rio has moved from a 45% to a 80% immunization rate with our pediatric patients over the past 6 years. In 2006, El Rio started a new program with Food City grocery stores to offer three free back-to-school immunization days for kids ages

 5-18. In 2009, more than 1,400 were immunized at the outreach events at Food City and the Pascua Yaqui Wellness Center. See the Video >>

PEDIATRIC ASTHMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM

In partnership with the University of Arizona, El Rio Community Health Center developed an innovative, comprehensive approach to helping get pediatric asthma under control for those children and families that need it the very most - the Inner City Asthma Intervention Program. The program began in 2001 and includes free of charge 1) Intake and individual health assessment for the child, including allergen skin testing; 2) In-home environmental assessment; 3) Extensive individual and group education on controlling asthma triggers and managing the disease for patients and their families; 4) Supplies, including necessary medical equipment and supplies to control allergens (i.e. peak flow meters, HEPA vacuum cleaners, mattress/pillow covers); 5) Medications; and 6) Development of an individualized asthma action plan for each child.

What sets El Rio's Inner City Asthma Intervention Program apart is our bilingual/bicultural program staff, who actively partner with the patient's family to identify asthma triggers and deal with the environmental causes of the disease. We have expanded the program from serving children ages 6-12 to ages 3-18. In the past five years, more than 800 children and their families have been served. As a result, these children have experienced fewer trips to the emergency room and their school attendance has improved dramatically.

PHARMACY- BASED DIABETES PROGRAM

In 2000, a law passed by the Arizona Legislature authorized pharmacists to enter into collaborative practice agreements with physicians to manage patient's drug therapy - including diagnostic and prescription privileges. This legal change provided El Rio the opportunity to implement our award-winning Pharmacy-Based Diabetes Management Program in August 2001 - using a residency trained, bilingual PharmD as the provider for patients referred by staff physicians. The program has clearly revealed statistically significant improvement in all clinical parameters monitored, including: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and A1C.

With the success of the original project, a collaborative agreement was developed between El Rio Community Health Center and the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Council to add a second pharmacist to the team in order to replicate the program at the Pascua Yaqui Clinic. The program continues to expand to accommodate new patients. Community and family referrals among the Yaquis are increasing, suggesting that patients find value in the services provided by the diabetes clinic. In 2008 Bank of America Foundation gave a $250,000 gift to expand the program to the El Pueblo clinic.  See the Video >>

REACH OUT READ

Thanks to El Rio's Reach Out Read Literacy Program, children under age 6 continue to receive a brand new book at every well-child check-up and their parents receive guidelines for reading aloud with their children. With the help of donor support we have 1) created comfortable reading areas in 4 of our pediatric waiting areas; 2) hired a part-time volunteer coordinator; 3) recruited 5 regular volunteers who spent 85 hours reading in our pediatric lobbies and 4) distributed 12,000 books in English and Spanish.

SCHOOL-BASED CLINICS

El Rio school based clinics continue to service low-income families in the Sunnyside Unified School District. In October 2006, a young girl's life was saved when our school-based clinic nurse noticed bruises all over the patient's legs. After a thorough exam by an El Rio physician, the student was rushed to University Medical Center to see a specialist, who later determined (based on a bone marrow biopsy) that the patient had Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia - a rare and potentially deadly blood disorder. We continue to monitor the child's progress, and her mother is extremely grateful for the loving, expert care her daughter continues to receive care at El Rio. Annually over 2,000 kids are served through these two sites. 

TEENAGE PARENT PROGRAM (TAPP)

The El Rio TeenAge Parent Program is currently serving over 100 pregnant and parenting teens at various Sunnyside schools as well as the El Rio Teen Clinic. Services offered include education, health care, and child care for pregnant and parenting teens (fathers) in order to minimize the impact of pregnancy and parenting on success in school, improve pregnancy outcomes and parenting skills, and prevent repeat pregnancies. Education is also provided regarding pregnancy prevention. The program is available to all middle school and high school students in the district.

WOMEN'S BREAST HEALTH AWARENESS PROGRAM

The women who directly benefit from El Rio's Women's Wellness Programs are low-income Hispanic women (ages 20-69) living in TUSD and SUSD neighborhoods, who often face serious barriers to adopting more healthy behaviors. For example, 58% of the participants surveyed had no health insurance. In addition, over half of Southside mothers with children less than six years old work full-time, and 26% of households are headed by Hispanic women. Environmental and economic barriers can make access to healthcare, exercise and fitness services very difficult. The program employs an exciting social change strategy that starts with the individual woman. The program is designed to impact the woman's physical health, her sense of self-esteem and personal power, through providing the tools and information that allow her to make new choices - empowering choices. Through the program, women start to feel better about themselves, which reinforces their sense of personal value. El Rio's breast health programs are supported by Susan G. Komen for the Cure (Southern Arizona) and the American Cancer Society.

VENTANILLA DE SALUD

The Ventanilla de Salud (VDS) program is a unique partnership between the US-Mexican Border Health Commission, Mexican Consulate and local Community Health Centers. VDS is staffed by Community Health Workers who provide critical health prevention and referrals to people receiving services at Mexican Consulates in cities throughout America. A representative from the VDS program attends health fairs and local events to educate the community about VDS services currently available through the Mexican Consulate. The program has been very successful in Tucson, with over 2,500 people served annually.