It has been nearly 18 months since Compass Health Network opened the doors of our Festus-Truman Center, an integrated healthcare facility designed to serve the most vulnerable patients of Jefferson County and beyond.
While best known for behavioral health services, Compass’ Festus-Truman Center is revolutionizing the delivery of medical care for underserved youth in an area historically devoid of pediatric resources.
For children in need of a primary care provider, the clinic, 1275 N. Truman Blvd., is staffed by two board-certified pediatricians and pediatric-trained medical assistants. It offers scheduled appointments from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for children needing routine well care, school or sports physicals, immunizations, or evaluation for injury or illness. Same-day appointments and walk-in visits are also available for urgent concerns, and a child does not need to be an established patient to receive care.
During appointments with the pediatrician, families have the option to meet with a behavioral health consultant, who can provide brief mental health evaluations and interventions, and a community health worker, who can offer tangible support for families with resource needs. The onsite pharmacy assists with navigating medication access and affordability, and the in-house lab is operated by a pediatric-trained phlebotomist. In addition to primary care, the location also has an optometry clinic for the management of vision concerns and prescription eyeglasses, as well as a pediatric dentist. The services have been lacking for the region’s under- or uninsured children.
Once an abandoned grocery store building, Compass Health Network’s Festus-Truman Center has become a modern model for comprehensive, compassionate pediatric care, fully aligned with the company’s mission to “Inspire Hope. Promote Wellness.”
Shannon MacGregor is a pediatrician at Compass Health Network.