A new era begins at Community Health Connection
It is also widely recognized as a place where members of the Hispanic community are welcomed in their own language and in ways that are culturally sensitive. But what many may not be aware of is what it takes to make all of this happen, and for the past nearly 12 years the man behind the curtain who, along with an incredibly hard-working staff has been seemingly working magic, has been CHC’S Chief Executive O-cer, Jim Mccarthy. This month heralds a new chapter in the organization’s history, as Mccarthy retires and hands over the reins to CHC’S new CEO, Kate Neary.
On a pleasant spring morning around 10 days before his retirement party, Mccarthy sat down with La Semana to re+ect on his time with CHC and to introduce our readers to his successor.
When Mccarthy 8rst joined Community Health Connection, most patients were being seen at CHC’S original o-ces near 21st and Mingo, a labyrinth of rooms in a space badly in need of renovation. The new +agship location at 3rd and Lewis had recently opened its doors, with physicians and staff still making the new facility their own.
“Well, it’s been fun, and the growth has just been absolutely amazing, phenomenal,” Mccarthy recalled. “I came in the fall of 2012 and we had about 2,000 patients. We were primarily at the 21st street location. And this [3rd and Lewis clinic] had just opened, and basically what we did was family medicine, that’s the providers we had.”
But what a difference a decade can make. Mccarthy shared that last year, “we served over 15,000 patients in over 50,000 encounters. And that’s because we have now family planning, OB, we do deliveries, we have pediatricians, family medicine. We have a full line of dental services right up to, but not including dentures.”
“And we have an integrated behavioral health practice,” Mccarthy continued, “which basically means that we are recognizing the importance of the interaction with your physical and mental health. And on top of that, we are very carefully monitoring the social determinants of health, which are your living environment.”
Mccarthy faced challenges during his tenure as well. He steered the organization through the uncharted waters of the COVID19 pandemic, protecting his staff and emerging with a better informed patient community.
CHC’S expansion under Mccarthy’s leadership includes the addition of two new clinics, one adjacent to Ellen Ochoa elementary school on 31st East of Garnett, and a satellite clinic on the grounds of Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Center, at 13702 East 46th Place South.
The two main clinics also boast discount pharmacies, allowing patients who often have kids and work multiple jobs to make just one trip instead of two.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the impact of Community Health Connection on the lives of those it serves has been nothing short of transformative, and as Neary takes the helm more exciting changes are in the works.
An agreement is now in place for CHC to take over the clinic located inside of the Youth Services building at 3rd and Madison, and a 8fth location to the West is being considered in an area where Mccarthy says “there’s a high pocket of need.”
Neary may be new to CHC, but she has been a 8xture in the non-pro8t world for over two decades. She most recently served as Chief Executive O-cer for Tulsa CARES, the largest and most comprehensive provider of care and social services for people living with HIV and Hepatitis C in Oklahoma, and previously held executive positions with Planned Parenthood and H.O.P.E.
“I feel very strongly that my biggest job, I think, as CEO is to take care of our people, take care of our 8nances, and take care of our community presence and our reputation,” Neary explained. “And I think that’s incredibly important... And all that trickles down to better patient care and retention of good people at every level of the organization.”
For more information about Community Health Connection, its services or its locations, visit https://communityhealthconnection.org. (La Semana)