News Category: Featured

Anxiety in Children

  During the Covid-19 pandemic, depression and anxiety in youth doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels. 1 in 5 children are experiencing elevated anxiety symptoms. Anxiety generally refers to feeling worried or nervous, it is a natural and normal human emotion. Children will sometimes experience anxiety, worries and fears. In most cases, these symptoms come and…

Dr. Faith Whittier joins Avenue 360 as Medical Director of the OB-GYN Department

Dr. Faith Whittier joins Avenue 360 Health and Wellness as the Medical Director of the OB-GYN Department. She is a board-certified physician specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Whittier has over 20 years of experience in healthcare, management, and serving underserved communities. Dr. Faith Whittier earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Case Western Reserve…

April is National Minority Month

April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM).  It is an opportunity to raise awareness about health disparities that continue to affect those from racial and ethnic minority groups. NMHM originally began in 1915 as National Negro Health Week by Booker T. Washington. It was later expanded to include all racial and ethnic minorities and in…

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

  March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to promote awareness, encourage screenings, and educate. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer death in both males and females in Texas, but it can be prevented, detected, and treated. Prevention Maintain a healthy weight. Excess body fat is linked to an increased risk…

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is an opportunity to engage, empower, and educate people on the impact of HIV in the lives of women. Over the past four decades, we have witnessed HIV transition from a deadly virus to a treatable, chronic medical condition. Nowadays, we have medications that both treat and prevent…

Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children

Tooth decay often begins at an early age, making young children particularly susceptible. Contributing factors include baby formula with added sugar and heavily-sugared fruit juices. Even breast milk can cause cavities in baby teeth because of the natural sugars present. Caring for baby teeth should begin as soon as the first tooth appears. We recommend…

Get your heart in check!

There are many risk factors that can affect your health and increase your risk for heart disease at any age. Education, lifestyle management, environment, and genetics all play a role. Knowing what heart disease is and the risk factors associated with it can help prevent further complications. In Houston, heart disease is the number one…

What Everyone Should Know About Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It causes cervical cancer as well as head and neck and penile cancers. Every year, HPV-related cancers affect approximately 44,000 people in the United States. In Harris County, Hispanics have the highest cervical cancer rates. The HPV vaccine is effective at preventing…

Avenue 360 welcomes Robert Palussek, EVP of Operations

Avenue 360 is thrilled to welcome Robert Palussek, Executive Vice President of Operations. He joins us from Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He also served as Administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Lee County and the Highlands County Health Department. He has 10 years of…

COVID-19 Omicron Variant: What parents should know about sending kids back to school

By Dr. Damitra Ramos-Patel The COVID-19 Omicron variant is more contagious than previous strains. In Houston, pediatric COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are increasing, especially in children under the age of 5. Vaccines are designed to decrease the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death.  What are pediatricians seeing in sick children? We are seeing a…

Departure Notice: Kiera Moore, FNP-c

Departure Notice: Kiera Moore, FNP-c

World AIDS Day

As we remember the lives lost on this World AIDS Day, I wanted to take a moment to recall my journey. I was 18 years old when I started as a Risk Reduction Specialist with Avenue 360 Health and Wellness, a community health system founded in the 1990s to take care of AIDS patients. Fifteen…

Diabetes Awareness Month

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2020, there are over 4.2 million Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 88 million with pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a condition characterized by slightly elevated blood glucose levels, indicating that a person is at risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes. Texas has one…

The Tale of Two Epidemics

November 2021 The Tale of Two Epidemics By Dr. Charlene Flash Some of you know I have a birthday coming up on Monday. I’ll only say this: I now begrudgingly have to wear reading glasses. But this year – especially this year – I ask that in lieu of gifts or flowers, you consider a…

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By: Dr. Ronald Lopez-Cepero, Avenue 360 Obstetrician and Gynecologist Behind skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among American women, according to the American Cancer Society. Every year in the United States around 250,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and close to 45,000 will die because of it. By…

Avenue 360 Health & Wellness Opens New Health Center Serving Midtown, Third Ward

Avenue 360 Health & Wellness Opens New Health Center Serving Midtown, Third Ward HOUSTON, TX – Avenue 360 Health and Wellness, a community health system in Houston, today opened a new health center serving Houston’s Midtown and Third Ward areas. The 13,800 sq. foot campus offers primary and behavioral health, dentistry, and an adult-day activities…

Avenue 360 on Houston Public Media: President Biden’s COVID-19 Plan

On Houston Public Media’s “Town Square” program, Charlene Flash, CEO and president of Avenue 360,  discussed President Biden’s six-prong plan to stop the spread of covid-19 across the country.  There are nearly 80 million Americans eligible to be vaccinated who have not yet gotten their first shot. “ We are not where we wish we…

National Recovery Month

By: Sondra Smith, Recovery Support Counselor September is recognized as National Recovery Month. Avenue 360 celebrates the recovery of our clients, families, and community. Recovery is a process of change in which individuals improve their health and wellness, lead self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. Avenue 360 is dedicated to enhancing the…

Returning to School during COVID-19

Dr. Rayanne House, Memorial City Pediatrician Sending your little ones back to school amid the dangers of the delta variant of the coronavirus can be daunting and stressful. One thing that remains consistent is the American Academy of Pediatrics stance on the importance of in-person learning to a child’s mental, emotional and academic development. The…

Avenue 360 is providing the third shot of the Moderna vaccine

Avenue 360 is providing the third shot of the Moderna vaccine to those who are immunocompromised. According to the CDC, this includes those who have: Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system Received a stem cell transplant…

Avenue 360 welcomes Bridgett Gant, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Bridgett Gant is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Avenue 360 Health and Wellness. Previously, she worked at The Center of Healthcare Services providing mental health care. Gant is board certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Nurses Association, and American Association of Colleges…

Avenue 360 welcomes Titi Boyejo, Family Nurse Practitioner

Titi Boyejo is a family nurse practitioner at Avenue 360 Health and Wellness. With experience working in community health centers, Boyejo understands the importance of providing high quality, culturally competent care to diverse communities. She is passionate about primary care, women’s health, and geriatrics. Boyejo is board certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Avenue 360’s Back-to-School Bash

Avenue 360’s Back-to-School bash, in partnership with Fountain of Praise and Community Health Choice, is designed to help Houston-area children (and parents!) prepare for the upcoming school year. Bring your children, pick up a backpack, meet our providers, and have some fun! Pre-registration recommended. Children must be present. To register, click here. El evento de…

Oral Health: A Window to Overall Health

Most of us know that poor oral health can lead to problems such as cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and severe pain. However, did you know that the health of your teeth and gums can offer clues to your overall health? Additionally, problems in our mouths can often lead to problems in our overall health….

Departure Notice: Sayuri Uotani, FNP

Departure Notice: Sayuri Uotani, FNP

Dr. Patricia Hayes joins Avenue 360 as Executive Vice President of Medical/Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Patricia Hayes joins Avenue 360 Health and Wellness as Executive Vice President of Medical/Chief Medical Officer. She is a double board-certified physician specialized in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She has successfully created chronic disease management programs for diabetes and high blood pressure and has led multidisciplinary teams that design and implement projects on population…

Avenue 360 welcomes Elizabeth Horvath, HIV Physician Assistant

Elizabeth Horvath an HIV Physician Assistant at Avenue 360 Health and Wellness. Previously, she worked at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City as a medical researcher and pursued a Physician Assistant degree from SUNY Downstate School of Medicine in Brooklyn, NY, graduating magna cum laude. Elizabeth did her clinical rotation at Brooklyn’s STAR clinic for…

Welcome Dr. Pearce!

Dr. Jessica Pearce is an OB/GYN physician at Avenue 360 Health and Wellness. She believes that high-quality and evidence-based health care should be accessible to everyone–without fear of shame, judgment, or stigma—and seeks to provide the best care to patients who may otherwise feel left out of traditional healthcare models. Previously in private practice, Dr. Pearce is passionate about the…

Avenue 360 welcomes Erika Fisher, Director of Clinical Operations

Erika Fisher joins our organization as a seasoned leader with more than 20 years of experience in operational and health care administration. Erika will serve as the Director of Clinical Operations for Avenue 360 Health & Wellness. As a United States Air Force veteran, she directly supported various global missions resulting in recognition of over…

Welcome Dr. House!

Avenue 360 is pleased to welcome our newest pediatrician, Dr. Rayanne House. She will be located at our Memorial City clinic in Houston and will be seeing patients from newborns to 21 years of age. She believes that all youth – regardless of skin color or family income- deserve quality mental, emotional and physical health….

Houston Infectious Disease Physician: Worst Thing You Can Do Is Minimize Concerns around COVID-19 Vaccine

On Houston Public Media’s “Houston Matters” program, Dr. Charlene Flash addressed skepticism in parts of the African American and Latino communities around receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine, which would help prevent illness from COVID-19, which has killed more than 350,000 Americans. “The worst thing people can do is minimize the concern. It is really…

Don’t Regret Your Thanksgiving

As the number of COVID-positive cases rises in the region, Dr. Charlene Flash, CEO of Avenue 360 and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, echoed the public health guidance issued Tuesday from Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. “I know COVID fatigue has set in,” said Dr. Flash, an infectious disease physician. “But we must…

Texans are skipping or postponing medical care because of pandemic

A new study by the Episcopal Health Foundation finds that more than a third of Texans say they or someone in their household have gone without medical care during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. More than 90% said they skipped preventive care like checkups and mammograms. “We understand the concerns COVID has brought,” said Charlene Flash, an infectious disease…

“We’re here to serve.” 5 Questions for Dr. Charlene Flash, CEO of Avenue 360

Why did you go into medicine? As a young girl, I was impacted by my service-oriented parents. We housed people suffering abuse or who were homeless and hungry. When I considered what mark I wanted to leave as an adult, going into medicine was, for me, the ideal way to serve people. I admired doctors…

The Woman’s Perspective: Angela

Healthy Women Houston Profile on an Avenue 360 patient on a most recent Healthy Women Houston Newsletter. You may read about Angela below: The Woman’s Perspective: Angela Angela is a 30-year old, single mom who was pregnant with her fourth child. When she asked her caseworker at the Salvation Army for resources to support her…

What we’re doing to protect our patients during coronavirus

Avenue 360 Health and Wellness provides quality health care with compassion. For all. Our model of care revolves around the patient needs inside and outside of the exam room. Our patients’ health and safety is our number one priority. Here are some of the many safety measures we’ve taken – and continue to take –to…

To all patients: please read prior to your appointment

Avenue 360 continues to take safety precautions to stop the spread of the coronavirus. We will be taking your temperature outside of the clinic prior and asking several screening questions. Please arrive alone to your appointment. If you need assistance, one essential visitor can accompany you. We encourage you to follow Harris County guidelines around…

One of our health care heroes during COVID-19

Today we want to take some time to recognize one of our own. Sayuri Uotani is a nurse practioner at our main campus in The Heights. She has stepped up and provided patients with COVID-19 tests (along with others on staff who will be featured in the coming weeks). Even for medical professionals like Sayuri…

Please consider donating to protect those who protect you.

BY DR. CHARLENE FLASH, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AVENUE 360 We at Avenue 360 Health and Wellness are here to provide quality, affordable healthcare to those who need it the most. Due to COVID- 19, we are investing in significant precautionary measures — including more personal protective equipment –to keep our doctors and medical staff…

Effective immediately: Avenue 360’s protocols to keep patients and staff safe from COVID-19

March 17, 2020 2:00 p.m./ Updated March 23, 2020 Avenue 360 Health and Wellness is taking extensive precautions to protect our patients and staff. We have identified isolation areas in our clinics for patients with symptoms of coronavirus. We are also utilizing outside spaces to screen and test for potential COVID-19 cases. We urge any…

Avenue 360 Board President Luis R. Torres, a Leading Researcher on Minority Health Disparities is Honored with the Humana Endowed Chair in Social Determinants of Health.

  The Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) is proud to announce Associate Dean of Research and Strategic Partnership Luis R. Torres has been named the Humana Endowed Chair in Social Determinants of Health beginning September 1, 2019.   The appointment comes as the result of a historic partnership between Humana, one of the nation’s…

Avenue 360 Adult Day Care

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March 10 National Women and Girls HIV/Aids Awareness Day

    Every year on March 10 — and throughout the month of March — local, state, federal, and national organizations come together to show support for women and girls impacted by HIV and AIDS. National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD) sheds light on the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and…

HWH-Healthy Women Houston

  A coalition of health organizations launched an initiative Friday to combat maternal mortality and morbidity in the Third Ward and Sunnyside, areas where women die after giving birth at much higher rates than compared to other parts of Harris County. Healthy Women Houston members said that making sure women READ MORE

Transgender Day of Remembrance- November 20, 2018

  Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of those whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. You can read more about the Transgender Day of Remembrance below, and find out how you can participate. Additionally, during the week of November 13-19, people and…

World AIDS Day

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

  Domestic Violence Awareness Month With so much focus on Breast Cancer Awareness in October, it is also important to acknowledge Domestic Violence Awareness in October and remember that every 9 seconds a woman in the U.S. is beaten or assaulted by a current or ex-significant other.  The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that 1.3 million women…

National Health Center Week

National Health Center Week (August 12th- 18th) is an annual celebration recognizing and celebrating the important work of health centers to protect and promote the health of America. Health centers serve 27 million patients a number that continues to grow along with the demand for affordable primary care. Heath Center Week Celebrates the thousands of…

Houston Independent School District Registration Carnival

Mammograms coming to Avenue 360

Men’s Health Week

Avenue 360 Health and Wellness Welcomes Dr. Ronald Lopez

Project CORE to develop best practices for improved health outcomes in treating and preventing HIV in the Southern U.S.

Three-year collaboration between Avenue 360, AIDS Foundation Houston and UH Graduate College of Social Work will develop a “Southern Approach” to HIV services HOUSTON, TX — AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc. (AFH), Avenue 360 Health & Wellness and the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) have been awarded one of ten U.S. Health…

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) selects Avenue 360 Health & Wellness along with AIDS Foundation Houston and the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work to improve HIV health outcomes through Supportive Employment and Housing Services

Houston, TX, September 28, 2017 – HRSA awarded ten (10) grants of up to $300,000 each per year for three years to support the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative interventions that will coordinate HIV treatment, housing, and employment services to improve HIV health outcomes for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured people living with HIV (PLWH)…

NACCHO and CAI Select Avenue 360 Health & Wellness and AIDS Foundation Houston for the Southern Initiative to Address Disparities in HIV Outcomes Among Minority Populations in the South

Houston, TX, April 25, 2017 – The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) in partnership with Cicatelli Associates, Inc. (CAI), is proud to announce the selection of Avenue 360 Health & Wellness and AIDS Foundation Houston for the Southern Initiative, a project which aims to improve HIV outcomes among minority populations in…