Jessie Trice Community Health System welcomed its newest health center to the Overtown community on the Lotus Village campus.
Smiles lit up faces of staff and friends of Jessie Trice and Lotus Village on Aug. 11 as they prepared to cut the big red ribbon with a pair of big blue scissors.
“I would say it’s a dream come true to have Jessie Trice as a partner in service in a shared mission with us here in Overtown,” said Constance Collins, executive director of the Lotus House Community Shelter.
Lotus Village, which is located at 217 NW 15th St., is celebrating 12 years in the Overtown community, while Jessie Trice is celebrating 51 years in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Lotus Village is an expansion of Lotus House, a shelter for families and the elderly. The clinic was proposed as part of the expansion.
Lotus Village shares the same vision as Jessie Trice – fulfilling unmet medical needs. Jessie Trice and Lotus House decided to partner about four years ago. The new location will offer medical, dental, ophthalmological and OB-GYN services.
“This is a way to prevent homelessness. So many of our women and children have serious unmet medical needs,” said Collins. “We must have preventive [care]; we must have access to prenatal care, pediatrics, women’s healthcare and mammograms.”
Mentioned at the ribbon cutting was a men’s health initiative that will be coming soon.
“Before the village began, we were speaking to men – young and old, who are community leaders, about developing a special men’s initiative,” said Collins. “We want to have them serve in an advisor capacity, so we could build a kind of safety net to ensure whole health for the community.”
Irene Taylor Wooten, board chairwoman of Jessie Trice said the benefit of Jessie Trice is that it understands the needs of the community.
“There’s a lot of competition out there. There’s a lot of people that spring up and say that they are going to provide health care but not necessary comprehensive health care. So, you’re always competing,” Taylor Wooten said.
President/CEO of Jessie Trice Community Health Center Annie R. Neasman said the health outposts are in the community because in 1967 those services were not available for individuals in the community.
“We are more than a doctor’s office. We are a comprehensive center that has not only medical services for pregnant women or women who are thinking about getting pregnant, but also for pediatrics,” said Neasman.
In the next 50 years, Jessie Trice’s goal is more expansion in the community.
“Expansion to do more, to continue to do what we do – provide excellence and do more of it. We want to do it in many places as possible,” said Wooten.
The new Jessie Trice’s location is open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Community members may call to schedule an appointment for dental, pediatric, family practice or health and wellness. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Jessie Trice at 305-637-6400.
