HOUSTON – According to the latest U.S. Census data, Texas leads the nation in the number of uninsured residents.
Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones is reminding families that free, accessible healthcare is available to young people in need.
“It’s called the Baylor teen health clinic, and they’re here for anyone age 13 to 24, that’s the only qualifying factor,” said Precinct Four Chief Operations Officer, Daniel Rodriguez. “They’re open five days a week, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm by appointment. They take walk-ins as well if they have space available, and even if they don’t, they’ll connect you with one of the precinct four social workers to make sure you get the care you need.”
Briones’ office partnered with Baylor College of Medicine to open its most recent teen clinic location in 2024. Officing next to the Bayland Community Center, it serves the Gulfton neighborhood, an area in which 36% of residents are uninsured.
“Commissioner Briones is committed to making sure that everyone has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare,” said Rodriguez.
With a total of seven teen clinics across the county, teens and young adults can find free preventive healthcare, reproductive healthcare and mental health services. There are no residency requirements, but minors must have parental consent.
“I was (a patient) from 17 to 24,” said Elsa Perla, who says Baylor teen health clinics gave her care she wouldn’t have been able to access elsewhere. “It was great. If I had any questions, they were there for me, and it was completely free.”
Longtime patient Kayla Mendiola agrees.
“I come from a family that is low-income, so to have that opportunity to have something completely free, something I don’t have to stress about, it was incredibly important and special.”
But that’s not all these clinics provide. In addition to free healthcare, patients with a high school diploma or GED who want to pursue a health care profession are connected to ascend, a privately-funded program that pays the tuition for community college certification courses, removing financial barriers to post-secondary education.
You can learn more about Baylor’s teen health clinics, including locations and services provided, here.