Latino Community Development Agency

PROJECT PURPOSE

Latino Community Development Agency, Inc. (?LCDA?), an OKC-based nonprofit founded in 1991, requests a $5.5 million ARPA grant to construct a 19,000 square foot bilingual Pediatric Clinic & Health Education Building. This grant request includes equipment, fixtures and furnishings. The project?s $6,040,000 total cost is offset by $540,000 in private charitable commitments. This project expands services for poor/low-income Latino/non-Latino children and adults. It creates a modern facility for partial leasing to OU Health Physicians (as it has done for 25 years) to operate a bilingual pediatric clinic, currently located in a 112-year-old building, where they treat newborn-to-age-18 clients (check-ups, vaccinations, treatments and medications), and classroom space/teaching kitchen for bilingual health/wellness program efforts that address disease prevention and healthy eating. Spanish-speaking Latinos represent the fastest growing segment of central Oklahoma?s population. The 2020 Census reports 212,546 Latinos live in the seven-county central Oklahoma SMSA, of which 153,958 are in Oklahoma County. This project is in keeping with Gov. J. Kevin Stitt?s vision regarding ARPA funds, when he stated in June 2021: ?This is an opportunity for us to improve our infrastructure, make sure our workforce can better compete in the global economy, and help improve the health and lives of Oklahomans.?

EVIDENCE

As the oldest (c. 1991) and largest provider of bilingual pediatric medical services and health/well-being education services to central Oklahoma Latinos, collaborating with OU Health Physicians and others, including Oklahoma State Department of Health, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Mercy Hospital, Variety Care, TSET, Oklahoma City County Health Department and Little Flower Church, as examples, LCDA has the experience and relationships to mount and manage this project. LCDA delivers two dozen programs for newborns to senior citizens, that address mental/behavioral health, child development, parenting, and domestic abuse, as examples. Last year, LCDA served 35,000 unduplicated (50,000 duplicated) individuals.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

COVID-19 disproportionately impacts Latinos. From May 1, 2020 to March 1, 2021, Oklahoma Latinos were 2nd only to Native Americans for a COVID-19 diagnosis. At 10,279 cases per 100,000 people, Latino infections were higher than Whites, Blacks or Asians. Latinos often reside in small living environments making social distancing difficult. Latinos often work in low-paying jobs essential to the economy (healthcare, caregiving, food service, hard labor, agriculture, food production/processing); ?remote? working is not an option. The virus closed hotels, restaurants and bars; many jobs have not returned. Latino families defer healthcare because food and shelter are top priorities, and many lack access to a healthcare provider whom they can trust; they avoid the vaccine because of immigration status fears. Cost of living increases are hurtful to poor/low-income Latinos. In pre-pandemic Oklahoma County, 21.6 percent of Latinos lived at or below the poverty line.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Those responsible for project performance for the project are OU Health Physicians and LCDA?s Health Department, respectively. OU Health Physicians maintains client medical records and staffing, and follows guidelines from OU Health Physicians, accrediting organizations and federal, state, county and city requirements. LCDA?s Health Department receives significant state and federal funding and some private charitable donations for health education program purposes. All funders require special reporting that is based on the purpose of their grant or gift. LCDA?s Health Department also files monthly program activity reports that are presented to the LCDA president and the LCDA board of directors.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding