Governor Perry Joins HCD at Opening of New Ibn Sina Clinic

January 12, 2015 -- Houstonians got a booster in healthcare Monday, Jan. 12, when Governor Rick Perry joined the Housing and Community Development Department and the Ibn Sina Foundation to celebrate the opening of the new Ibn Sina Health Clinic. The Ibn Sina Foundation and the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) commemorated the opening of the $1.87 million project by cutting the ribbon and inviting attendees inside to tour the facility.

The new clinic, located at 5012 North Shepherd Drive, is a state-of-art 6,647-square-foot facility which houses medical, dental and diagnostic imaging services under the same roof. Services will be offered to uninsured low- and moderate-income patients at a low-cost pay scale. Patients will be able to receive regular medical treatment including immunizations, health-care screenings, low-cost lab work, free medications, preventative and maintenance dentistry and patient health education. The clinic will be open extended hours to accommodate patients after work.

The city invested $1.37 million of the project costs using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Director Neal Rackleff’s personal experience with visiting Houston residents in need made this project particularly exciting and heartfelt for him. During the opening ceremony he said, “It doesn’t matter what a person’s religion or political affiliation is, we do what needs to be done with the resources we have.”

Governor Rick Perry expressed his pleasure with the Ibn Sina Foundation and the quality of work for which they have come to be known.  “Low-cost care doesn’t have to be low-quality and the Ibn Sina clinic is a great example of that,” Perry said.

The Ibn Sina Foundation has served more than 195,000 patients since 2001 and has grown from 1 to more than 100 staff members and volunteer physicians.

The City of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) provides the leadership and financing to make affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization happen in Houston. Currently, the Department administers over $100 million annually in various federal, state and local programs. From investing in neighborhood parks, medical and educational facilities, multifamily communities and economic development, to providing first-time homebuyer assistance and funds to serve the homeless, elderly and disabled, HCD works to improve the quality of life for Houston’s neighborhoods and families.