Program areas at CHIPS
Chips Health and wellness center is a nurse managed free and charitable Health clinic established in 1990. Volunteer physicians, dentists, podiatrist, chiropractors, massage therapist and other providers care for low and moderate income individuals that are uninsured and underserved. The 5,000 sq ft. Health center has been located at 2431 n grand blvd in north st. louis for over 30 years. Services provided on site include primary and preventive Health care including internal and family medicine, psychiatry & behavioral Health, gynecology, neuropathy, men's Health, asthma/ allergy, dental, podiatry, optometrist, chiropractic and chronic disease support groups. Pandemic social distancing restrictions required revision to clinic protocols beginning in march 2020.chips expanded its telemedicine platform to continue serving patients unable to present for clinical Services in person. Chips' voice and video conferencing infrastructure required major modernization to support the increased demand for telemedicine Services. in 2020 chips provided 1,224 patient visits, 10,600 Health Services and completed 4684 case management contacts to clinic, outreach and support group patients.
Club chips is a youth leadership development program that trains urban youth to be peer Health educators utilizing the performing arts. This is a four-year paid training program for high school students. Over 210 teens age 14-18 have participated for at least one year since the program began in 2001. They all are high school graduates. The students that were in club chips two years or more pursued post-secondary education. Club chips takes Health and wellness messages to their peers in schools and other Community sites where youth and families gather, teaching them through drama, movement and song to cope with life's challenges. Topics include conflict resolution, depression and suicide prevention, recognizing and dealing with bullying, substance abuse and reproductive Health. Presentations have been held at multiple schools in the city of st. louis and st. louis county. Numbers served: in 2020, club chips trained 10 peer Health educators. 57 city youth attended 22 residency sessions and 547 individuals attended in-person and video conferenced presentations. in addition, 5 videos were produced on social media reaching over 1,240 viewers.
Chips Health care beyond walls {hcbw) program is a Community outreach Health screening, Health education and referral program designed to locate, educate and advocate for individuals that have undiagnosed or untreated disease. The targeted low-income minority population misses opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment for several reasons: being uninsured, uneducated, distrust of the healthcare system, etc. The covid pandemic made it impossible to have outreach events for most of 2020; however 14 screening events were completed under the required social distancing and masking mandates reaching 280 individuals. Hcbw also host diabetic support groups which meets monthly to provide information on controlling your diabetics. Chips also host support groups for seniors that provide activities that address social isolation & depression .mental Health support groups that meet weekly for 12 weeks in multiple locations. in 2020, 137 individuals attended support group meetings.