HOUSTON – Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Qatar Harvey Fund (QHF) officials and health experts provided updates on the multimillion-dollar renovation project at the historic Riverside General Hospital, which will reportedly house Harris Public Health and other vital health-related services.
According to a news release, the county’s purchase and renovation of Riverside in Third Ward were made possible by a $5.3 million grant from Houston Endowment, Inc. and a $2.5 million grant from QHF, which the State of Qatar created to administer a $30 million gift from the country to support the long-term recovery of Southeast Texas following Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
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Officials unveiled the construction sign that signals the project will start next year with renovations to the hospital, nursing school and laundry buildings.
“I am grateful to know that soon the legacy of care will live on now that the County successfully purchased this site and is investing in revitalization efforts,” Commissioner Ellis said. “The County’s planning efforts and generous donations from the Houston Endowment Inc. and the Qatar Harvey Fund have allowed us to breathe new life into Riverside and provide improved health services to the public.”
In 1926, the site opened as Houston Negro Hospital, the first nonprofit health care facility in Houston for African-Americans. The nursing school opened in 1931.
The complex will be the headquarters for Accessing Coordinated Care and Empowering Self Sufficiency (ACCESS) Harris County, a program the Commissioners Court created last year that works to improve outcomes for vulnerable individuals through a multi-interdepartmental disciplinary team or care coordination team. According to the news release, the team will focus on supporting clients holistically, addressing multiple needs that ensure better outcomes and greater stability.
Through ACCESS Harris, HCPH will reportedly partner with other Harris County Departments and non-County organizations. HCPH will lead to provide care for the public health needs of the community while connecting recipients to services from ACCESS partners.
Services planned for the site include dental care, childhood vaccinations, flu shots, obesity reduction, asthma management, diabetes prevention, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services, and maternal and infant health.