Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers are proud of our 40-plus year history of service to the community. We honor the advocates who started the health center, the volunteers, staff, board members and donors who helped us grow, and the multi-ethnic neighborhood and patients who continue to rely on us for care.

1969 – A group of neighborhood residents concerned about the lack of health care for central city residents established the “Health Contact Center” in rented second-floor space at the corner of S. 16th Street and Greenfield Avenue.The Center's philosophy was that no one, regardless of their ability to pay, would be denied care. The City of Milwaukee Health Department, along with other health- and community-based agencies, provided volunteer services at the Center. Neighborhood organizers worked to attract funding, recruit a Board of Directors, develop Bylaws and identify additional volunteers.

1971 – On June 8th, the Health Organization for Public Ethics or H.O.P.E. Inc. was legally incorporated. Care was provided to several hundred patients under the philosophy that no one would be denied care, regardless of income. By the end of 1971, H.O.P.E Inc. had moved to its present location at 1036 S. 16th Street, again a rented storefront location that had been the Jensen Jewelry store. The Center became known as the Sixteenth Street Clinic.

1974 – Services were expanded with support from the United Way. Because of its strong emphasis on the importance of adequate nutrition and maintaining health, Sixteenth Street increased its visibility in Milwaukee as a regular contributor to WISN-TV Channel 12’s Health Fair. Sixteenth Street was also a vocal community advocate for the need to have translation services available for Spanish speaking patients at local hospitals.

1975 – A partnership with St. Mary’s Hospital and the use of their residency program was established. This relationship continues today with Columbia St. Mary’s providing substantial hospital support for low-income pregnant women who receive pre-natal care at Sixteenth Street.

1979 – 1980- The Center doubled its size by renting adjacent storefront space at 1032 S. Cesar Chavez Drive. The number of Center staff doubled and the yearly patient load increased to 2,600 people in the medical program and 2,300 receiving the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) nutrition program.

1981 – The Center hired its first full-time physician, Dr. Larry Lindeman. Systems were set up to accept Medicaid, private insurance and Medicare. The Center’s first sliding fee scale (system based on patient’s ability to pay) was developed for low-income patients without insurance.

1982-84 – Sixteenth Street received its first federal grant from the U.S. Public Health Service. With additional assistance from the City of Milwaukee Community Development Agency as well as from local foundations and corporations, the Center was able to purchase the building, renovate the first floor, increase staff and install a computerized medical and billing system. The first bilingual social worker was hired to help with community residents non-medical problems.

1984 – During the 1970s and 1980s, the cultural diversity of the neighborhood increased dramatically. By 1980, Hispanics made up half the population of Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood. This population was predominantly Mexican, but with significant numbers of Puerto Ricans and Central and South Americans. A Refugee Health Grant provided support to care for the influx of Southeast Asian (Hmong) immigrants who were exiled from their home countries (Laos and Cambodia) as punishment for their support of the United States in the Viet Nam war. Between 1980 and 1990, the Southeast Asian population in Milwaukee grew from 3,600 to more than 11,000.

1985 – 1987 - Major building renovations included remodeling of the second floor for administrative offices and health education rooms. The number of exam rooms increased to 12, allowing a second pediatrician and obstetrician gynecologist to be added to the medical staff. The WIC clinic moved to a nearby building to accommodate the expansion of medical services. Total clinic staff reached 40 and the agency budget grew to $1.6 million.

1989 – 1994 – The need in the community for primary health care and social services surpassed the available space. A facility expansion was approved by the Board of Directors and completed in 1994. The number of exam rooms increased to 30 and allowed WIC to move back on-site.

1993 – A satellite clinic was opened at South Division High School in cooperation with Milwaukee Public Schools and the City of Milwaukee Health Department to provide health services to students. At Sixteenth Street’s main clinic, an HIV/AIDS outreach and case management program was developed, offering free anonymous testing to community residents. US Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala visited Sixteenth Street at the grand opening for the expansion, calling the clinic a national model for community health care. In order to diversify the Center’s revenue and reduce its reliance on grants, a fundraising program was started. In addition to the creation of an ad hoc Fund Development sub-Committee of the Board of Directors, the First Annual Celebrity Roast was held. The guest of honor was Congressman Jerry Kleczka.

1995-1996 – The health center created an innovative, community-based lead poisoning prevention program, a multi-clinic immunization coordination project and a community environmental health assessment – the environmental health project was started. In 1996, the environmental health project and lead project were merged to form Sixteenth Street’s Department of Environmental Health.

1997 - The Center purchased an historic bank building at 1337 S. 16th Street, just two blocks south of the main clinic. The WIC clinic had room to expand and additional space was available for the Environmental Health Department, administrative offices and board of directors’ meeting room. In a win-win situation for community residents, low-interest financing from the City facilitated the purchase, saved the beautiful bank building (constructed in 1921) from the wrecking ball and allowed the bank to continue providing services in the neighborhood by becoming a tenant in the building with a long-term lease with the clinic. A family therapist was hired along with a part-time, PhD-level, licensed counselor to begin the State’s certification process for provision of behavioral health services. In November, Sixteenth Street’s Bayview Community Dental Center began operation located at 2306 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Billing and collection services as well as an HIV outreach office were re-located here.

1998 – Twenty new exam rooms were added in the lower level of the main clinic for a dedicated pediatric center. Administrative office space on the second floor that had been vacated was now converted to reception and office space for a full-time family therapy clinic – the new Behavioral Health Department. The Environmental Health Department received one of only 10 sustainable development challenge grants awarded nationally from the US Environmental Protection Agency to create a vision for redevelopment for Milwaukee’s Menomonee River Valley – a former industrial hub and rail corridor. The $250,000 award would support work to engage government, private sector and community partners in a planning process for the Valley, create a new non-profit agency to manage development in the Valley and establish a benchmarking system to be able to assess the progress made.

1999 – In partnership with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Sixteenth Street opened an Urgent Care Clinic, using Sixteenth Street’s pediatric clinic space during evening and weekend hours. The Environmental Health Department organized “A Vision for Smart Growth: Sustainable Development Design Charette” in partnership with the Planning and Design Institute. Teams of architects, urban design experts, businesses located in the Menomonee River Valley and government agencies worked to create guidelines for a brainstorming workshop. The charge was to ‘raise the bar’ on redevelopment and restoration activities in the Valley. The goal was to attract high-quality investors and family-supporting jobs that could add long-term value and pride to the community while reducing environmental impacts.

2000 – The top floor of the main clinic at 1032 S. Cesar Chavez underwent minor renovations to increase space for the growing Behavioral Health Department. The Medical Records Department was also expanded and moved to the first floor. Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg visited Sixteenth Street on November 3, 2000.

2001 – HIV services were expanded to become a Department offering prevention, outreach, testing and treatment. The Roast of United States Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson was cancelled due to September 11th. However, Secretary Thompson had honored Sixteenth Street with his first official visit in Wisconsin earlier in the year –on May 3, 2001. At that visit, Secretary Thompson said “Community health care centers provide access to health care for millions of Americans who have been locked out of the traditional health care system.” Thompson promoted President Bush’s first-term initiative to double the number of people served by health centers.

2002 – A project to re-engineer the patient visit resulted in the formation of patient care teams to minimize patient waiting time and maximize provider time with the patient. Principles of the re-design include: Prepare for the Expected, Exploit Technology and Ruthlessly Eliminate Needless Work. Open Access scheduling was started at the same time: holding 70% of appointment slots open for same-day/next day scheduling. These changes resulted in a drop in the overall clinic no-show rate from 25-30% to 9-11%. The Environmental Health Department, with support from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and Forest County Potawatomi Community Foundation, received a grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts – New Public Works Initiative to plan and host a national design competition focusing on 140 acres on the western end of the Menomonee River Valley. The winning design would be implemented by the City and would lay the groundwork for development of a 140-acre parcel of land at the west end of the Valley. The 2002 Menomonee River Valley National Design Competition: Natural Landscapes for Living Communities received more than 140 submissions from architectural firms all over the world. In addition to Sixteenth Street, the Menomonee Valley Partners, the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Milwaukee County were the main sponsors for the competition and the final design was chosen in June 2002.

2003 – Additional exam rooms and reception space were added to the lower level of the 1337 facility for on-site mammography and physical therapy services. Main clinic hours were extended to 10 p.m., the HIV program moved out of the main clinic to a storefront outreach site and additional exam room space was carved out of hallways and office space to try to accommodate additional patients. A strategic planning initiative identified four major objectives to guide Sixteenth Street's operations for the next five years – 1) Planning, design and construction of a second full-service medical clinic 2) Implementation of an electronic medical record system 3) Comprehensive chronic care management for patients affected by diabetes, asthma or conditions associated with obesity and 4) On-going professional development, credentialing and staff training.

2004 – The 35th year of operation for Sixteenth Street was marked by the start-up of innovative and critically needed programs. Governor Doyle visited Sixteenth Street in February to announce a new Medicaid benefit that would allow fluoride varnish to be applied to the teeth of toddlers by their pediatrician during a well child check. Dr. Garcia started a hepatitis C clinic with about 12 patients in active treatment for this disease that can, without much warning, destroy the liver. At this time, this type of care was not typically available in a community setting and is especially needed for high-risk patients who would not be able to access specialty care at a hospital. In partnership with Extendicare Health Services, physical therapy services were offered at Sixteenth Street. The landmark research article “Integrating the Environment, the Economy and Community Health: A Community Health Center’s Initiative to Link Health Benefits to Smart Growth” was published in February 2004 in the American Journal of Public Health. Key findings of the article included 1) A community health center can link restoration of the local environment, creation of good family-supporting jobs and public health 2) Visioning exercises help residents visualize how a revitalized area can look and function 3) These visioning and design events have served as a catalyst for achieving high-quality well-designed redevelopment and 4) Redevelopment of industrial brownfield sites may be an alternative to suburban and exurban sprawl.

2005 – Sixteenth Street purchased a building at 2906 S. 20th Street with the hope of opening a second full service health center and consolidating services located at the 2306 S. Kinnickinnic building. When fully operational, the 30,000 square foot building would be home to as many as 15 medical providers who would be able to serve as many as 30,000 new patients.

2006 – On April 3rd, Sixteenth Street’s second medical clinic, known as the Parkway Clinic, opened its doors with two pediatricians and one family practice provider. By the end of the year, an additional six medical staff and five behavioral health providers were practicing at this site, supported by full time social service and financial counseling personnel. This expansion of care came at a critical time for the community, as two other south side medical sites – the Johnston Community Health Center and Madre Angela Medical clinic – closed their doors.

2007 – Expansion of the health care capacity of the clinic continued with the hiring of six full-time physicians, a certified nurse midwife, a nurse practitioner and a part time physician to practice at the Parkway Health Center. The clinic began to offer occupational therapy services and a mammography and radiology suite operated by Columbia St. Mary’s opened and the Marquette University School of Dentistry began operation at the Parkway location. Additionally, contractual arrangement with Dental Associates enabled Sixteenth Street to refer its uninsured patients for dental services.

2008 - The State of Wisconsin expanded eligibility for the BadgerCare Plus program and Sixteenth Street enrollment specialists worked with the State to pilot an online enrollment system. Over the course of the year, more than 1,500 people were enrolled at Sixteenth Street. Many of these new BadgerCare enrollees were single adults who had previously relied on Milwaukee County’s General Assistance Medical Program (GAMP), which ended in 2008. A new consortium, the Milwaukee Health Care Partnership (MHCP), consisting of the five hospital systems, the four community health centers, the State of Wisconsin , Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee commissioned a study to identify the gap in health care services available for uninsured and under-insured individuals in Milwaukee County . The study also made recommendations for growth for the four community health centers in Milwaukee. The MCHP identified strengthening and expanding the capacity of community health centers as the single most effective approach to improving access to care for the uninsured. By the end of 2008, MCHP had contributed more than $1 million dollars to the health centers to subsidize growth initiatives and increase care for uninsured Milwaukee residents.

2009 – Expansion of Sixteenth Street services continued with guidance from the Board of Directors to follow the strategic direction of providing care to as many people as possible. The Mission statement was revised and a new vision statement and core values were adopted. A major renovation of the first floor of the Chavez Health Center was undertaken and federal stimulus dollars supported the hiring of a new health care team and the implementation of capital improvements at the Parkway Health Center to expand services for behavioral health patients, physical therapy and occupational therapy patients and social service clients. Sixteenth Street had itsfive-year federal review and passed with flying colors. The members of the review team from the Office of Performance Review, US Department of Health and Human Services Region V said, “This is the best work we have ever seen in community outreach and integration.”

2010 – Sixteenth Street received official accreditation by The Joint Commission for health care quality and safety. Ten new providers were added to the staff: three family practice physicians, one pediatrician, a certified nurse midwife, and three physicians’ assistants, as well as a social worker and psychiatrist for the Behavioral Health Department. Two of these new physician teams would be initially supported by a wonderful grant from GE Healthcare. Sixteenth Street was honored to be only the second site nationally to be chosen by the GE Foundation to receive a HealthyMagination grant. US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius visited Sixteenth Street to announce the award of a $2.6 million federal grant award to support the construction of a Community Health Center in the City of Waukesha.

2011 – An early adopter of electronic health records, a work team was established to pursue a new quality performance incentive program that relies on the use of electronic records called “Meaningful Use”. By participating in this program, health care providers would have to demonstrate, meet and maintain certain benchmarks for quality patient care, such as sending prescriptions electronically, maintaining active medication and allergy lists in the patient record and having physician orders entered via computer. Sixteenth Street was proud to be among the first health centers in Wisconsin to demonstrate meaningful use for its patients. A small satellite clinic was opened in the Senior Center at the United Community Center (UCC), with the hope that health care and health maintenance could be integrated into the programming at the Senior Center and for residents of a nearby elderly housing complex. Centering Pregnancy, a group model for pre-natal care was offered at both Sixteenth Street clinic locations. It has been demonstrated that Centering reduces the risk of pre-term births. A new obesity prevention program, called Healthy Choices or Elecciones Saludables was started. It was and still continues to be unique amongst community health programs as its age-appropriate teaching streams are geared toward small children, adolescents and adults, essentially: the whole family.

2012 - Thiswas a year for the record books for Sixteenth Street. The agency was named one of Southeastern Wisconsin’s Top Workplaces by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – an honor earned by the results of a survey completed by the agency’s employees. In June, Sixteenth Street passed its first ‘unannounced’ Joint Commission audit – a three day process in which patient visits were randomly selected and assessed for quality and safety. We are proud to say that the auditors reported only 3 “findings” during their visit, with the result that our new Waukesha Community Health Center, a full service clinic that, when fully operational, will have a staff of approximately 40 people. 2012 also saw the implementation of My Health Connection, an electronic portal for our patients so that they can view their own health record, check a lab result, request an appointment or pay their bill online.

2013- In April 2013, Sixteenth Street received recognition as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Keeping with our tradition of emphasizing the important relationship between environment and the health of our patients and of the community, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers were awarded Bronze level recognition as a Bike Friendly Business from the League of American Bicyclists just in time for National Bike to Work Week. 2013 is off to a great start so far! Stay tuned for more exciting updates!