New location will increase patient capacity and reach new underserved communities
February 3 2021 – FoundCare Inc., a nonprofit federally qualified health center, continues to expand services while leading community healthcare efforts during challenging times. FoundCare recently broke ground on renovations to a 10,000-square-foot-facility in West Palm Beach. Set to open in the spring, the health center will serve as a one-stop healthcare medical home to all regardless of ability to pay.
“We are very fortunate to have been able to move forward with this project despite the challenges the pandemic presented,” said Yolette Bonnet, CEO of FoundCare. “Although an official groundbreaking ceremony didn’t occur this year for the safety of our community, we look forward to meeting our new neighbors and welcoming old friends during our official grand opening ceremony in the spring.”
FoundCare has been a community leader in providing vital healthcare services. The agency was the first entity in Florida to offer free drive-through COVID-19 testing and has since conducted almost 6,000 tests with the appointment line still open. After learning minority communities were being adversely impacted by COVID-19, FoundCare partnered with the Quantum Foundation to provide mobile testing in communities most at risk.
“FoundCare has been serving the community for 35 years as an advocate for health equity and equality, providing quality care to all members of our community,” said Dr. David Dodson, Board Officer for FoundCare. “We are grateful for the generous support we have received from our friends in Palm Beach and the many foundations that have generously supported FoundCare to allow us to continue vital healthcare services during this critical time.”
Throughout the years, FoundCare has established itself as a leader during health crises. Founded in 1985 as the Comprehensive AIDS Program (CAP), FoundCare was at the forefront of the AIDS epidemic and took the lead to assist those living with and dying from HIV/AIDS. This was during a time when little was known about the infectious disease, much like COVID-19.
FoundCare continues to expand healthcare services despite the many challenges they face. In 2019, FoundCare managed over 114,000 patient visits throughout its six locations. Behavioral Health services continue to grow at an exponential rate. In September of 2019, FoundCare’s Behavioral Health team managed 394 visits compared to 649 visits in September of 2020, a 61% increase. In March 2020, FoundCare began providing Women’s Health services including prenatal and postpartum care. At the end of October 2020, FoundCare began providing free and low-cost mammography screenings at its Palm Springs location. This was made possible through a partnership with The Promise Fund of Florida and Hologic who generously donated a 3D Mammography Unit to FoundCare.
“We wouldn’t be where we are today, celebrating the groundbreaking of our newest health center, without the generous support from our community,” said Bonnet. “But we aren’t out of the woods just yet,” Bonnet continued. “It’s hard to tell where the economy is headed with so much uncertainty about the trajectory of the virus, but one thing we do know is that the loss of insurance coverage will leave many in our community with limited options for care. FoundCare will be one of the only options for obtaining quality healthcare without insurance. We are going to continue to need donor support.”
To learn more about FoundCare, please visit http://.foundcare.org or call 561-HEALTHY (561-432-5849).
