New children’s health clinic opened by CHRISTUS Health in Coushatta

COUSHATTA, La. (KSLA) – CHRISTUS Health has opened a new children’s clinic in Coushatta.

The facility, CHRISTUS Kids Clinic, opened Friday, Aug. 23. It’s located at the CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Care Center at 1633 Marvel St. It’s funded by CHRISTUS Foundation Shreveport-Bossier, with donations from the community made to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

“This is truly a part of our mission, especially in a rural community,” said Brandon Hillman, CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Care Center administrator. “We see our role as a healthcare provider in a rural community as bringing as many services to our community as possible.”

“Each dollar donated helps provide treatments and support that pediatric patients desperately need today, so they can fulfill their potential for tomorrow,” said CHRISTUS Foundation board member, Florence Bethard.

The new clinic will serve newborns and kids up to age 21. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy will be provided twice weekly, but may expand as demand grows.

“We decided to open in Coushatta because there is a large population in those rural towns that do not have care or services for the pediatric population besides what they receive in the school system,” said Lisa Hooper, outpatient clinical supervisor of physical medicine and rehabilitation with CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System. “We recognized the need and we wanted to support that need and support the community.”

Raylie Hardy, who lives in Coushatta, has been a big supporter of the idea of a children’s clinic in the area for some time. Her 12-year-old daughter, McKenna, has been a patient at CHRISTUS’ Shreveport-Bossier facility for many years, hospital officials say.

“Having a clinic in Coushatta is something we have been trying to get for many, many years now,” Hardy said. “I have been the mama pushing for it, not just for me, but for all the other moms and kids in Coushatta who are going to benefit from this.”

The foundation is matching donations made to make the new facility possible. Click here to donate online.

“We’re excited that the CHRISTUS Kids Clinic is going to have such a presence,” said Amy Heron, executive director of philanthropy for CHRISTUS Foundation Shreveport-Bossier. “This is an exciting time and there is a need for such services. We want to keep the clinic innovative and with the latest in technology, and to do that we rely on those donations.”

link