By HFT Staff

Superior HealthPlan and the Centene Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Centene joined Community Health Development, Inc. (CHDI) to open a new $16 million multi-purpose community health center in Uvalde. The 16,000-square-foot space provides healthcare services, community support and outreach, education and workforce development and a meeting space for the Uvalde community and the surrounding region.  

The project was announced in the aftermath of the Robb Elementary School shooting that took place in May 2022, with CHDI working with the community to meet the urgent demand for more comprehensive physical, behavioral and emotional health services, identifying three key initiatives: building a new community health center, establishing a school-based health center and creating the Robb Elementary School Dream Scholarship Fund.  

The community health center was funded, in part, by a more than $8 million investment to CDHI from the Centene Foundation and Centene's Texas-based health plan, Superior HealthPlan, which serves one in four individuals in the county. 

Located at 115 N. Ham Lane in Uvalde, the health center is managed by CHDI. The new facility includes:  

• Seven primary medical care examination rooms  
• Three dental operatories  
• Behavioral health services via telehealth  
• Class A pharmacy with drive-up access  
• Medical laboratory  
• 20 full-time employees as well as rotating staff from other CHDI sites  
• Community room with the capacity to host more than 150 people  
• Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid office  
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas office space  
• College / job preparation training space for students  
• Tranquility garden honoring victims of the Robb Elementary School tragedy (in progress)   

Along with healthcare and other support services, the center will also host regular meetings and events organized by Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas, as well as Team Uvalde