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South Dallas healthcare desert gets first-of-its-kind clinic
The Jubilee Park Community Clinic will be a one-stop location offering medical, dental, mental health and community resources.
DALLAS - A first-of-its-kind clinic is now open in an area of South Dallas that historically has been a healthcare desert.
The Jubilee Park Community Clinic will be a one-stop location offering medical, dental, mental health and community resources.
"I'm so happy. This area needs something like this. Way past due," said Margarita McWilliams a restaurant owner in Jubilee Park.
The Jubilee Park Community Center joined forces with Parkland Health and Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas to create the facility.
"The idea is to bring the full spectrum of healthcare services, we will have pharmacy services available and referral to specialists as well," said Dr. Fred Cerise, the President and CEO of Parkland Health.
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Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says the care people can get at the facility will save lives.
"My father suffered a fatal heart attack, not too far from here at a park in Oak Cliff. I was 7 years old playing with him, along with my sister. His half brother worked for the phone company and had health insurance. He had access to healthcare and the preventive care that people will now have," he said.
The facility is expected to see 7,000 patients a year.
"It's a big game changer," said Alejandra Saldana, the Health and Wellness Manager at Jubilee Park. "Community members may be nervous about medical care, they've never really seen a dentist before. Having someone from Jubliee walk them there and saying ‘this is the front desk, this is the doctor who will take care of you’. Big change in service."