South Texas Family Planning & Health Corporation

South Texas Family Planning & Health Corporation (STFPHC) is a private, non-profit organization that delivers direct family planning, reproductive health, women’s health, and preventative primary healthcare services to the public. STFPHC began providing services in June 1972 in 19 counties in the South Texas area. STFPHC administers Family Planning Clinics, Men’s Health Centers, Breast & Cervical Cancer Clinics, and Natural Family Planning & Fertility Education Centers.

History

STFPHC was formed in June 1972 after receiving their first grant from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, through Title X, section 1001, of the Public Health Services Act. STFPHC was one of the original Title X federally funded grantees in Texas. Initially, STFPHC served as an umbrella agency for many other family planning providers. Along with Family Planning Services, the agency provided migrant health care services throughout several counties in South Texas that were considered medically underserved and rural. Since then, the agency has continued targeting medically under-served areas and now focuses on providing men and women high-quality Family Planning, Natural Family Planning, Breast & Cervical Cancer Services, Health Education Services, Preventative Primary Healthcare Services, and Immunizations, throughout 19 counties in South Texas. The first Executive Director of the organization was Roberto Tijerina who served in that capacity from 1972 until August 1996. The Interim Executive Director, Victor Vale, served from September 1996 until April 1999. Martha F. Zuniga is the current Executive Director of the organization, has worked for the organization since 1988, and has served as the Executive Director since 1999.

Services

STFPHC clinics and service delivery sites offer reproductive life planning, health education, complete physical exams and wellness check-ups for primary and reproductive health, on-site pharmacy services for FDA approved birth control methods, office visits and treatments for acute ear, eyes, nose, throat, skin, upper and lower respiratory infections, and Sexually Transmitted Infections to reduce barriers of medication access for patients, on-site availability of immunizations, many on-site point-of-care laboratory screening tests which are done at the same visit and on the same day. STFPHC clinic sites also assist patients with prescription medications, state program enrollment into Medicaid for Breast and Cervical Cancer and other Medicaid Programs available in Texas. In 2015 STFPHC served 16,293 unduplicated clients and of those clients 96% fell at or below 200% of federal poverty thereby qualifying them for many of the government grants and programs administrated by the organization.

Facilities

In 2016, South Texas Family Planning & Health Corporation (STFPHC) administers 6 comprehensive clinic facilities 1 in Beeville, Texas (Bee County); 1 in Corpus Christi, Texas (urban Nueces County); Kingsville, Texas (Kleberg County); Robstown, Texas (rural Nueces County); Rockport, Texas (Aransas County); and Sinton, Texas (San Patricio County). The agency also administers the Health Education Services Project with 1 facility located in Corpus Christi, Texas that is co-located within the clinic facility, and 4 Natural Family Planning & Fertility Education Centers in the following cities Corpus Christi, Laredo, and Weslaco, Texas.

Funding

STFPHC receives funding from Title X National Family Planning Program thru the Women’s Health and Family Planning Association of Texas, the Health and Human Services Commission of the State of Texas, and accepts Medicaid, Private Insurance, and offers services on a sliding fee scale based on family size and income for all others. STFPHC also receives local support and the support private foundations to help deliver services to low-income and uninsured populations in and around the South Texas area. STFPHC receives assistance to deliver immunizations from the Department of State Health Services Texas Vaccines for Children Program and the Adult Safety Net programs.

References