Health

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.

Subscribe below to follow our progress and stay up to date with the latest news. We are continuing to seek funding for all these important initiatives and truly appreciate your support.

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