Latino Health Outreach Project

Email: lhopla [at] lycos [dot] com
Phone: 504-377-7281

About three weeks after the levees broke, a few women from the Common Ground Health Clinic began scouting areas of New Orleans in order to assess healthcare needs on the ground. We quickly realized that among the many gaps in the city’s public healthcare infrastructure was a source of culturally competent, biligual healthcare for Latino residents and clean up workers. We began setting up clinics on sidewalks and parking lots in front of hotels where large numbers of workers were staing. Initially, the clinics consisted of two healthcare providers giving tetanus shots and over-the-counter medications. Within a few weeks, more providers were added, including MD’s, nurse practitioners, acupuncturists, and heerbalists.
We now do one clinic a week early morning at a day-labor pick up site, one in a church, as well as occasional clinics at hotels or other sites. In addition to providing health care, we are building relationships with organizations who have a history of working in New Orleans’ Latino community.
As of April, 2006, we operate every Thursday morning at Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue and Claiborne Ave from 7 to 9am. Our clinical services include vaccinations, basic first aid and wound care, herbal medicine, acupuncture, health education, and basic primary care. We are continuing to develop a broal referral network, and when necessary, we accompany our patients to other medical facilities, where we advocate and interpret for them. (For more, see http://chgc.org/lhop.html)

Articles:
    ** August 29-Sept. 4, 2007:  Jennifer Whitney, ‘Who Is going to Rebuild New Orleans?  When the Latino population, who showed up in the Gulf Coast post-Katrina can’t findhealth care, it begs the question.’
REAL CHANGE. (www.realchangenews.org/2007/2007_08_29/who%27srebuildingno.html

    ** June 29, 2006. Catherine Jones and Jennifer Whitney, ‘Dissolving Barriers: New Orleans Latino Health Outreach Project, LEFT TURN MAGAZINE, Summer 2006. (www.leftturn.org)