University Health Funds $2.2M Expansion for Homeless Care Clinic

University Health approved a $2.2 million grant on Tuesday to expand primary care services for San Antonio's homeless population. The funds will support the Sarah E. Davidson Clinic, operated by CentroMed at Haven for Hope. The Board of Managers authorized the investment to help the clinic recover from a service disruption that has lowered patient attendance.

CentroMed operates as a federally qualified health center across 22 locations in San Antonio. It provides primary care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. The organization also runs a dedicated Healthcare for the Homeless program. This initiative includes the Sarah E. Davidson Clinic, the Lifetime Recovery Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Southeast San Antonio, and the Battered Women's and Children's Shelter in Northeast San Antonio.

The clinic served more than 10,000 patients in 2023. Officials expect that number to drop by 2,000 in 2026. A data breach in 2024 disrupted operations and reduced patient volume. University Health officials stated the funding is designed to reverse that trend. The goal is to improve health outcomes, prevent emergency room visits, and address untreated behavioral health and substance abuse issues.

The clinic currently provides basic medical care and screens patients for depression, diabetes, substance use, tobacco use, tuberculosis, and HIV. Ted Day, executive vice president of strategic planning and business development at University Health, noted that community demand remains high. He said the clinic has struggled to meet that demand over the past couple of years. Day stated that the additional funding will help restore staffing levels to allow the clinic to see more patients.

The grant will enable CentroMed to hire a physician, a part-time nurse practitioner, substance use counselors, medical assistants, and outreach workers. These new positions will expand staff capacity and extend operating hours. The funding also supports increased homeless outreach efforts at the site.

The $2.2 million grant will be distributed over two years. The start date for the funding is March 1. This timeline aligns with the clinic's effort to bring patient volumes back to pre-breach levels.