Clinica Romero
Clínica Monseñor Romero: a haven for the uninsured, poor and undocumented
What began as a small part-time clinic founded by Salvadoran refugees and physician volunteers to provide health services to thousands of men, women and children fleeing El Salvador's civil war in the 1980s, is now a Federally Qualified Health Centers that provides preventive care to low-income families who lack health coverage. Clínica Monseñor Romero provides quality, affordable and culturally sensitive health care services to a predominantly low-income, monolingual Spanish-speaking uninsured Latino population and a significant indigenous population from southern Mexico and Central America. Its three sites serve the local community with clinics in Boyle Heights, Pico Union/ Westlake and a children's clinic located at St. Vincent's Medical Center on Alvarado.
The clinic is named after Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, the former Archbishop of San Salvador - El Salvador - who was killed during the country's bloodiest civil conflict. Clínica's mission of service to the poor is rooted and inspired by the work of Monseñor Romero and consistent with his message of aid to the poor.
Close to 100% of Clínica's patients live at or below the Federal Poverty Level - many find it difficult to pay for health services. This is why programs like My Health LA, a county initiative that provides health services to undocumented individuals, could alleviate financial stress for many families in the area. Already, Clínica has enrolled more than 3,000 families in the program, and expects this number to significantly rise by the end of the year. Currently, Clínica is actively recruiting providers to meet the demand for quality healthcare.
Each year, more than 15,000 patients are provided mental and health services via a staff of 120 employees and 21 volunteers from the local community. These services include: primary care and disease prevention, which is comprised of medical, dental and vision services; a well-developed chronic disease management program, a women and children's program with prenatal, pediatric care and family planning, a breast cancer screening program, onsite pharmacy averaging 150,000 prescriptions filled annually; an outpatient alcohol and drug treatment program, community organizing department and more.
Thirty-two years after is establishment, Clínica continues to uphold its mission to provide quality health care and a voice for the voiceless, in this way keeping true to Moseñor Romero's doctrine of helping the neediest.
For more information about Clínica Monseñor Romero, visit our website.