Among the greatest needs has been expanded front-line, primary health care in both urban and rural communities, and to have more health services delivered at convenient sites such as schools, workplaces, and homes. One such effort is the nurse-managed program at the Abbottsford and Schuylkill Falls Community Health Centers. Located on-site in two of Philadelphia's public housing projects, the program delivers a combination of health care and help with many underlying health and social problems. Among its services, the two centers provide primary health care, prenatal care, community nurse home visits, group health education, parenting and grandparenting support and education, mental health services, violence prevention, and drug and alcohol treatment. Services are provided by nurse practitioners, three of whom serve jointly as faculty at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.
Physicians are available for telephone consultation and visit the centers monthly.
In addition to Penn's School of Nursing, other backers include managed care firms, specialty providers, and a physicians' association. An expanding array of community settings, including public housing, reflect the uniqueness of clinical experiences for undergraduate nursing students. The effort is directed jointly by the Illinois Area Health Education Centers and the UIC College of Nursing and staffed by AmeriCorps members from health professions schools and the community. Each year, Health Corps members in selected communities provide underserved families in Chicago with primary health care, health education, and case management services at 31 sites around the city, as well as home visits. All rights reserved.