Padre Pio Clinic opens its doors to St. Anthony Catholic School students

MILWAUKEE-- A health care center just opened it's doors in Milwaukee's South Side, but it's not like any other. It's the first in the state of Wisconsin to be located inside a school.



Padre Pio Clinic offers health services to the students at St. Anthony Catholic Schools.



\"The Latino population has the greatest health care disparity of any racial or ethnic group in the state,\" said Dana Rodriguez, Director of the Padre Pio Clinic.  \"The decision to open Wisconsin's first School Based Health Care Center is as much about serving our students, as meeting the needs of uninsured members of our community,\" Rodriguez added.





The full service clinic is set up independently from any hospital service, to specifically serve the students of St. Anthony Catholic Schools. It offers urgent care, physicals, immunizations, hearing checks, vision checks and much more.



\"It went from hiring a part time nurse, to realizing that because the latino community is so underserved when it comes to the healthcare services, that we needed much more than that, so we brought a full clinic,\" said Zeus Rodriguez, President of St. Anthony Catholic Schools.



The school received a $500,000 federal grant to open the facility, which has several rooms in the basement of Francis Hall, as well as satellite offices at each of the five schools.



\"This allows the students to remain in school for small things and get treated quickly, and the parents don't have to make an appointment... it's even saving the parents time,\" said Rodriguez.



Rodriguez says their mission is to make a difference in the health of the children in the community and added, \"I just care very much about each and every kid and they're all so innocent and they really deserve the best... so i'm glad i'm able to help them get their basic needs met.\"



Padre Pio Clinic at St. Anthony Catholic Schools, Making Milwaukee Great.