HJNO Jul/Aug 2020

14 JUL / AUG 2020  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS Q&A Daughters of Charity Services of New Or- leans has recently become DePaul Commu- nity Health Centers. Can you tell us about the mission, and what has changed, other than the name? Daughters of Charity Services of NewOr- leans changed its name toAscension DePaul Services of NewOrleans slightly more than a year ago. Additionally, our ten care sites, for- merly known as Daughters of Charity Health Centers, are now providing care with a new name of DePaul Community Health Centers. These care sites serve those most in need, and continue to provide the same compas- sionate care we are known for in the New Orleans area. St. Vincent DePaul inspired the works of charity in NewOrleans through the schools, social services, and health care provided by the Daughters of Charity. Many in the New Orleans community remember the excellent care received at DePaul Hospital on Calhoun Street and Hotel Dieu Hospital on Perdido professionals across the country to our own practice. Adding Ascension’s name to our name reflects the strength of being part of this national network. What is your patient base, and how are the clinics funded? We strive to provide care for the poor, the sick, the elderly, and the most vulnerable among us, and to provide comfort to those most in need of our services. Our doors are open to all, regardless of faith, ethnic back- ground, or ability to pay. We treat each person with dignity, respect, and compassion. Our mission includes a special focus on low-in- come and other special needs populations. More than 65 percent of our patient popu- lation has Medicaid as their insurance. The majority of our patients are hard-working individuals, yet live on the financial margins. We are committed to helping all patients, regardless of their financial capacity, and we offer a sliding fee scale for patients without Street. Patients receive the same heritage of care in the primary and preventive setting, along with behavioral health services today under theAscension DePaul Services and the DePaul Community Health Centers names. Our mission to improve the health and well-being of our community remains stead- fast, and is strengthened by this new name that ties directly to St. Vincent DePaul’s pas- sion to care for the sick ,and those living in poverty. Patients do not experience any changes in their current relationship with our providers and care teams. Ascension, one of the leading non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., made a concerted effort to assist patients in ac- cessing care, and navigating their health, by creating consistent names for its facilities and services across the country. We’ve been part of Ascension for 20 years. Working together has enabled us to improve the care we provide by bringing the knowl- edge and resources of thousands of medical