Leveraging Resources by Partnering with Non-Profit Organizations

Background:
San Antonio, Texas continues to grow. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's July 1, 2007, population estimate for the city was 1,328,984 which make it the second-most populous city in Texas and the seventh-most populous city in the U.S. Meeting the immunization needs of our growing community has become a challenge for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD). Of particular importance has been the northwest portion of San Antonio that has grown incrementally each year. In response to this growth, the SAMHD leadership began exploring affordable options to provide services in this area.

Setting:
Public health clinics, Local Non-Profit Organizations, Communities

Population:
San Antonio and Bexar County residents and residents of surrounding counties

Project Description:
The administrative offices of Goodwill San Antonio are located adjacent to the headquarters of the SAMHD. Representatives of Goodwill and the SAMHD are active on various community committees and other partnerships. While discussing issues at various committee meetings, both agencies realized that they were consistently serving the similar populations. The Goodwill executive team approached the Director of Health with the proposal for a pilot effort entitled “Good Health at Goodwill” where SAMHD would co-locate a public health team in a Goodwill retail store. Selected public health services such as immunizations, health screenings, and health education information would be provided.

Results/Lessons Learned:
The “Good Health at Goodwill” partnership began on January 1, 2007 and through this partnership 3,068 clients have received 6,285 immunizations. During the 2007, SAMHD hosted successful influenza vaccine outreach events at a number of Goodwill locations. The success of this partnership has been beneficial to both organizations, allowing the community to access immunization services in a convenient location. As a result, expansion of the “Good Health at Goodwill” model to additional retail locations is being considered.