CareSTL Health, now celebrating 55 years of community-based care, was founded in 1969 by civil rights leaders as the St. Louis Comprehensive Neighborhood Center to provide workforce training and social services in North St. Louis City (MO). In 1971, St. Louis Comprehensive Neighborhood Center graduated its first class of healthcare professionals and began delivering a wide array of medical services to the community, operating out of three trailers. Those services laid the groundwork for the expansion of care in the ensuing years.
Today, the health system operates 5 clinical sites providing a wide range of services including primary care, chiropractic services, vision, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and community outreach to 22,000 people each year. Its school-based health centers serve four local school districts. The health center rebranded in 2018 as CareSTL Health, as part of an initiative to reach new patients while continuing to support and serve the community as the provider of choice for comprehensive health services, dedicated to eliminating health disparities and empowering every community member to live a long, healthy life.
Along with local partners, Care STL Health is developing the Ville Wellness Campus, which will fill a gap in services for pediatric and behavioral healthcare and create a safe, walkable neighborhood with low-income housing for families and seniors, providing “comprehensive, multi-generational healthcare, and education, and support.” New facilities for all locations are in the works, and a charitable arm, CareSTL Foundation, has been created to help sustain the future of the organization.
For 55 years Care STL Health has been invested in the health and development of its community and with continued resilience and community empowerment, it is working to create a healthier and safer North St. Louis.
