Health
Fighting for our Health Care Services
Since 2018, Menonita has been responsible for the operations of the Center for Diagnostics and Treatment(CDT) and administration of the Emergency Room. With the expiration of the contract between the Department of Health and Menonita on June 30, 2026 and without consultation with the community, the Department of Health did not renew the contract. Following two months of seeking a resolution without success, Menonita left Culebra on August 31, 2026
When the community learned on August 17, 2026 that the Menonita employees had been given their two-weeks notice, the community jumped into action. At a Community Meeting on August 20 it was decided to create a petition that voiced the community’s position that Menonita should be left in place. Over the next 10 days, 1,500 signatures were collected.
On August 24, Johnny Mendez ordered a Camara investigation of the decsion by the Department of Health. A hearing was held in Culebra on September 9.
On September 1, the Secretary of Health and CEO of HealthProMed, a Federally Qualified Health Center, with a presence in Culebra told the Menonita employees that HealthProMed would administer the CDT for the next 90 days and employ the staff.
Although the Secretary of Health keeps saying that nothing has changed, services have already deteriorated.
The community continues to work to reverse the Department of Health decision.
Health Clinic & Emergency Room
In May 2019 we completed the renovations of the Clinic and Emergency Room in Culebra. Thanks to our donors we rebuild the Emergency Room and the Clinic which had too much damage to reopen after the hurricanes. Services were temporarily relocated and in less than 2 years the work on the Emergency Room and The Clinic is now complete and the beautiful facility reopened. This make the facilities ready to withstand any storm that may come our way. The people of Culebra now have an outstanding facility to have the care they deserve.
Farmacia Cristina
In October 2020, a pharmacy was opened at the CDT, operated by Farmacia Cristina. As part of our effort to provide the people of Culebra with the facility they deserved and desperately needed, the Foundation took on the challenge of renovating the space required for a pharmacy. We provided support while the pharmacy’s volume was built to assure sustainability.
Center for Mind-Body Medicine Initiative
The Foundation for a Better Puerto Rico has partnered with The Center for Mind-Body Medicine to bring an evidence-based program of community healing and resilience-building to Puerto Rico. This initiative addresses the devastating psychological impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, as well as the earthquakes in the southern region, which have led to increased rates of suicide, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. It also aims to combat burnout and secondary trauma among caregivers while strengthening Puerto Rico’s capacity to respond to future traumatic events.
In 2019, we trained 70 social workers, psychologists, counselors, and educators from Culebra, Vieques, Fajardo, and other hard-hit areas—communities that bore the brunt of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Mind-Body Skills Group model used in this program has consistently reduced post-traumatic stress disorder levels by 80% or more in both children and adults. In 2020, we expanded the program to a virtual format, allowing us to continue training volunteers, running support groups, and providing critical mental health resources to our communities during the pandemic.
In 2021, with continued partnership and a grant from United Way of Puerto Rico, we launched a stress-relief and COVID-19 crisis response program. This initiative supported teachers, healthcare workers, community volunteers, parents, first responders, and other professionals on the front lines, helping them cope with the ongoing challenges of the pandemic.
We also expanded the program to address those impacted by the recent earthquakes. Our program is already providing immediate psychological support for thousand of children and adults whose lives have been upended by the January 2020 earthquakes. Moving quickly, together we will launch a 12-month program to train and support 150 social workers, healthcare providers, counselors, educators and community leaders to bring the benefits of this program to their communities.
We hope that Culebra’s experience in becoming a sustainable community with the highest quality of life will become a model that others will want to replicate in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
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