Mission Statement

The mission of One Hope Centro de Vida Health Center is to improve the total health of our community by partnering with our neighbors to provide affordable healthcare, follow-up, education and spiritual guidance in a friendly and welcoming environment.

Values

1. We host a “community-run” health center in the Southeast Heights because we value the development of this community and know that everybody has something valuable to offer.
2. Our health center is “community-run” because we value the knowledge the community has in assessing their own needs and we believe in building ownership, dignity and respect.
3. Our health center is low-cost because we value affordable healthcare for everyone.
4. Our health center is more than just a clinic because we value the holistic health of the community: mental, physical, spiritual, emotional and social.

The Story.

In the summer of 2005 East Central Ministries, Inc. (ECM) partnered with over 50 residents of the La Mesa and Trumbull neighborhoods of Albuquerque to hold a Community Health Fair. The event was a huge success with more than 250 neighborhood participants. From that pivotal event a long-term partnership formed. Over the next few years, ECM listened while community members talked of little to no medical access for themselves and their children, no access for dental care, and numerous obstacles where access was available such as language barriers, time and transportation constraints, financial barriers, as well as blatant substandard treatment. Through this ongoing conversation the idea of a “community-run” health center was born.

What is a community-run health center?

1.  A response to the community.
   • ECM spent several years listening to and partnering with the community which resulted in a project based on what the community wants.
2. A partnership with the community.
   • Based on cooperative ideas, the health center serves those community members who volunteer in the center and their community.
   • Community managed and operated. All available positions in the health center will be voluntarily filled by community members. In addition, the community will decide the direction of the health center through the annual evaluations and a core team.
3. Volunteer based.
   • All doctors and medical staff are volunteers.
4. Flexible and Evolving.
   • OHCV is dependent on the schedules and abilities of the healthcare providers, volunteer staff, and community members.
   • The health center must begin small and grow as resources become available.
   • The health center is much bigger than just a medical clinic. OHCV must involve advocacy, prevention education, relationships and empowerment processes.

One Hope Centro de Vida

One Hope Centro de Vida Health Center began in September of 2006 as a partnership between East Central Ministries and our local community. The health center grew over several years from a small one room clinic to a health center with 3 exams rooms, 2 dental stations, follow-up interviews and case management. The health center offers programs ranging from diabetes to women’s health to Christian counseling. The health center is open 2-3 times per week and serves an average of 30 patients a week. Some challenges the health center faces are malpractice insurance coverage for volunteer practitioners, cultural sensitivity, language barriers and finding resources for our predominantly immigrant community. We are committed to partnering with our community to overcome these challenges.

Partners

One Hope Centro de Vida is first and foremost committed to our partnership with the local community (as stated in our mission and values). The health center also partners with local health care professionals to provide medical and dental services to our community. We have professional volunteers from Lovelace Healthcare, Presbyterian Healthcare, the NM Veterans Healthcare as well as private practice. In addition, the health center has partnered with the University of New Mexico to offer a weekly clinic for residents and students from the college of medicine, college of nursing and college of pharmacology to practice (supervised) for credit.