The
Community Health
Service department
of Providence
Memorial Hospital, a
501(c)3 organization
was begun in 1992.
It had a nebulous
mission but very
quickly started to
expand and the
mission - to take
the serviced to PMH
into the community -
also expanded.
Like
the Constitution a
great number of
activities can be
added to a mission
statement that is
open ended. Funding
was established as
being the interest
on a three million
dollar grant made by
the hospital to the
Providence
Foundation (now
defunct). The three
million was derived
from
disproportionate
share funding from
Medicaid. Initially,
the major effort was
expended in
screenings. It very
soon became apparent
that a large
percentage of the
population of El
Paso is un/under
insured and that
preventive care is
minimal. The system
does not seem to
accommodate the
people. Our mission
then became to
detect problems
early, and plan
interventions with
other organizations.
We
have been quite
successful in
networking with
other not for profit
entities. There is
still a lot of work
to be done, however.
We successfully
carried out a
project under a
block grant from the
City to serve
seniors within the
city. Coming in far
under budget and are
currently involved
with a migrant farm
worker project in
West Texas and
Southern New Mexico,
and we are also in
assisting the
City/County Health
Department in
accomplishing their
missions. In 1994,
we were asked to
sponsor a volunteer
Medical Team, which
provides medical
support at major
events in El Paso.
This team had been
operative for twenty
years under other
auspices, and we had
provided medical
support, but now
felt the need for
more autonomy. The
members of this team
are physicians,
nurses, and
emergency personnel
who volunteer
thousands of hours
each year at
concerts, games,
races and other
events. With the
sale of Providence
to a profit entity,
we incorporated in
July 1995, and
subsequently
successfully applied
for 501C3 status
retroactive to that
date. The name
change to ProAction
was accomplished in
July 1996.
We
have maintained the
mission with no
diminution in
activity. We have
added training in
CPR, First Aid,
First Responder as
well as EMT skills
to our offerings.
Services can only
increase as we
partner with other
agencies of like
mind.
