Beyond the Phone Call: Personalized Advocacy

Ramos leads CCHP members in this area by organizing community-building events and establishing member engagement. She led the initiative to provide Thanksgiving meals to members and to secure donations from community partners, including turkeys from a church. She also led the holiday assistance programs to help member families have presents under the Christmas tree. 

Ramos’s role as a hands-on advocate who helps members is uniquely designed to break down the barriers that often keep families from seeking care. 

Ways that Ramos helps members: 

• Primary Care: She helps members find primary care that fits their needs to help the whole family stay healthy.
• Benefits: She provides face-to-face guidance for Medicaid enrollment and helps members seek care through the onsite JPS Health Network clinic.
• Incentives: Ramos ensures members take advantage of CCHP rewards, such as $25 gift cards for wellness checkups and incentives for completing preventive screenings.
• Transportation Hurdles: By utilizing CCHP transportation services, Ramos ensures that a lack of a vehicle doesn’t stand in the way of a doctor’s visit. 

“To them, these are things that these residents have been struggling with for such a long time,” Ramos said. “It takes somebody to really listen and understand what they’re going through to guide them to where they don’t feel overwhelmed.” 

CCHP members can use transportation services to get to appointments. For the members she has encountered, Ramos says it’s convenient to have everything they need at one location rather than spending the day traveling to different locations. 

“It’s been very beneficial to the families overall, especially in the sense of how transportation is a big issue in this community,” Ramos said. “Once we’re able to connect them with health care services, that's what's rewarding for me – seeing their reaction and how grateful they are."

A Community-Focused Model

The center’s success relies on a strong collaborative environment. Alongside Cook Children’s Neighborhood Health Center, the facility houses the WestAid Food Pantry, JPS Health Network and a Fort Worth police satellite office and food nutrition services with a Cook Children’s dietitian and a demonstration kitchen. 

One of the most impactful partnerships is the Las Vegas Trail Workforce Development Training Program. In collaboration with JPS Health Network, Tarrant County College, and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, this program provides residents with the skills needed for the medical administrative field, ranging from medical office duties to patient- and family-centered care. The first graduating class recently completed the program in December.

Restoring the “Mojo”: Dominika’s Story

The impact of this holistic approach is clear in the lives of members like Dominika McQueen who says she is grateful for Cook Children’s.

“Being in the community is the most amazing thing because people are benefiting from Cook Children’s being here,” Dominika said. “You guys are really helping a lot of people come out of situations that we probably didn’t think we could get out of.” 

After an illness kept her out of the workforce for years, Dominika turned to the Las Vegas Trail center for support. While CCHP's holiday assistance program ensured her children had presents under the tree, the workforce development program gave Dominika something even more lasting: a career path.
 
“Cook Children’s has helped me tremendously and this has been a great opportunity for me,” Dominika said. “This program is giving me my mojo back. I’m ready to be back in the workplace."

Looking Forward

While Ramos primarily serves CCHP members, her door is open to everyone. She frequently assists community members with Medicaid and SNAP applications, often seeing people travel from well outside the neighborhood for her in-person expertise. 

“It’s been so rewarding to hear the appreciation from our members,” Ramos said. “My wish is that this model grows. Every community deserves a ‘home area’ where they feel supported.” 

To access services provided by the community health worker, call 682-303-8319 or visit the neighborhood health center’s website. 

 The Las Vegas Trail Workforce Development Training Program is a partnership with Cook Children’s, JPS Health Network, Tarrant County College (TCC) and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County. The initiative equips adults with the essential skills for the medical administrative field, ranging from medical office duties to patient- and family-centered care. 

“What makes this cohort and this type of training program different is that we guarantee interviews once the students complete the 12-week training program,” explained Christine Hernandez, Cook Children’s manager of workforce development. 

 For Kierra Miles, the program is a bridge to a lifelong dream of becoming a pediatric psychiatrist. A mother of one who grew up near the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, Miles discovered the opportunity through her apartment’s resident portal. 

 “This is a good program because it works within communities that don't have the resources that everyone else has,” said Miles. 

 The neighborhood was once a thriving job market anchored by Carswell Air Force Base. In 1993, the base closed its active-duty operations, resulting in an economic decline in the area.   

 “The goal is to give our students educational training so they are able to find a role that will change their economic ability,” said Hernandez. 

The lack of stable and meaningful employment has led to an increase in poverty and crime in the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood. Cook Children’s Health Care System understands that health is not just about physical condition. It encompasses all aspects of the patient’s being. The training program is one way to ensure the health of the community, Hernandez explains.  

 “When you have the stress of not having a job, not having financial stability, giving these individuals an educational opportunity will help these future health care workers improve their overall lifestyle and well-being,” said Hernandez.  

 Mock interviews

 Weeks before graduation, students sat down for mock interviews with hiring managers and human resources staff from JPS and Cook Children’s. It was a chance to practice communication skills taught in class, focus on empathy, and receive real-time feedback from the people who might soon be their colleagues. 

“The training program was designed with the intention of making sure that we're focused on the customer service skills that we are looking for to hire people in our organization,” explained Hernandez. 

 Jazmine Montejo Williamson, a mother of three, enjoyed speaking with employees from both health care entities to determine where she would be the best fit. 

 “It's not just them trying to hire us; we get to see if we would be a good fit with them as well,” said Williamson.  

She wants to return to the medical field. Williamson learned about the opportunity while at her current job. On her days off, she studies at the neighborhood health center. The mother of three says that thanks to her faith and the support of her family, she has not missed a day of class. 

 “My children tell me that they're proud of me,” said Williamson as tears welled up in her eyes. 

 Her goal is to work in public relations for Cook Children’s. 

 A new chapter 

 On Dec. 18, the class reached a milestone: it became the first graduating class. During a private graduation ceremony, each student received a certificate of completion from Tarrant County College. 

 For Miles, the certificate represents more than a credential. It means a new sense of self.  

 “I feel way more confident,” she said. “I have the skills and the courage to actually go out and do it.” 

 Those moments make Hernandez proud, and as she reflected on the program’s impact on both the community and the participants’ families, she teared up. 

 “I see a lot of growth from them from the day that they walked into the program today,” said Hernandez. “To get to see the program come to fruition and see the final step, graduation, is a proud moment for me both professionally and personally. I am really looking forward to them using their new skills to land their dream job.” 

 Graduates have begun interviewing with JPS and Cook Children’s. Once a graduate is hired, they will go through that organization’s hiring process.  

 The next program begins in February. The deadline to register is Jan. 15.  Interested applicants can apply here.  

Families had a spook-tacular time Thursday evening at the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center! Cook Children’s Health Plan hosted a trunk-or-treat event on Oct. 30, offering a variety of activities, games, and resources. It was an opportunity for families to meet neighbors and connect with community partners who are at the core of providing critical health care and social services at this health care hub.

Little ones enjoyed music, games, face paintings and a trunk-or-treat. There were food creation demonstrations, a food truck and activities, as well as free education and resources from community partners focused on family health and safety.

The Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center is home to a variety of partners to support you and your family’s needs. On Thursday, families learned about the resources available.

“Events like these are a blessing because you get to learn new information," Liza Salinas said, mother of two. “We're having fun. It's all about them (the children).”

The Cook Children’s Health Plan provides health coverage for CHIP, CHIP Perinatal, STAR (Medicaid) and STAR Kids Members in the Tarrant County service area, including nearby counties. The plan covers essential services like primary care and pharmacy services, plus offers extra benefits and assistance for families. Go here to learn more and read how your family can join.

The Cook Children’s Neighborhood Health Center at Las Vegas Trail is here to help care for children from infancy to the transition into adulthood. Health care services offered include well checks, immunizations, school and sports physicals, injury treatment and care for both short-term illnesses and longer-lasting conditions.

The community partners at the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center include:

●      Cook Children’s Neighborhood Health Center at Las Vegas Trail, where children can establish their medical home with a pediatrician for regular checkups and sick visits.

●      Cook Children’s Health Plan: Sky Ramos, CHW, is the organization’s first-ever clinic-based community health worker (CHW). Ramos provides in-person guidance and helps visitors navigate the health care system, connect with community resources and access Medicaid services.

●      Cook Children’s Center for Community Health, which aims to increase access to preventative services for under-resourced populations and drives initiatives to focus on oral health, mental health, asthma, injury prevention, healthy lifestyles, and caregiver support. Dana Walraven, Strategic Partnerships Manager, works at the LVT Neighborhood Health Center to make connections in the community.

●      JPS Health Network Health Center, where adults and children can receive preventative health care, chronic disease management, annual exams and health screenings.

●      West Aid Food Pantry, a food bank open to the community.

●      The Fort Worth Police Department’s storefront which is where officers can build relationships with the community they serve.

●      Nutrition programs at the Demonstration Kitchen are led by a certified Cook Children’s dietitian, Maya Rashad, MPH, RDN, LD. She is the Nutrition Program coordinator at the center.

●      The Workforce Development Program, created to equip those enrolled in the program with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.

●      Go here to read further details about all of the clinics and programs at this location.

View participating partners/organizations at the trunk-or-treat event below.

The foundational gift that made this one-of-a-kind health care hub possible is the 3.7 acres of land on which the facility now sits. Thank you to the John David Moritz Family, the Mark Moore Family and the Reilly Family Foundation for donating the bedrock upon which the pathway to a healthier, more prosperous future for thousands of families was built. 

Many other organizations and individuals also championed this project. Cook Children’s is deeply grateful to:

• Amon G. Carter Foundation
• An Anonymous Donor
• EECU
• Epic Systems Corporation
• Genevieve Eagon Tillar Trust
• Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation
• The Fort Worth Foundation
• The Junior League of Fort Worth, Inc.

“The investment these individuals and organizations have made in the Las Vegas Trail community has not just built a building,” said Kyle Edgington, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief development officer at Cook Children’s Health Foundation. “It has built hope. It has built stability. It has built a healthier future and made a lasting impact. Their unwavering commitment has been invaluable every step of the way.”

Trees planted throughout the property grow in tribute to the generosity of these donors. A large indoor plaque in the shape of a tree, with branches bearing shimmering metal leaves, echoes the outdoor tribute. Its leaves are etched with the names of those whose support made the center possible.

“Trees are foundational and essential to life, just like our donors are foundational and essential to the life of Cook Children’s,” said Jill Koss, director of Family Support Services and Child Life at Cook Children’s. “I hope there is some recognition that trees shelter, protect and nurture, just like the health care and supportive services visitors will receive at the new center.”

Nature’s beauty is a theme guests will see throughout the property. Suspended above the donor tree is a kaleidoscope of monarch butterflies. Their transformation and annual voyage paint a picture of strength, resilience and hope—a reflection of the spirit of the neighborhood, its residents and the new center. 

In addition to generous donors, the neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area is made possible through a first-of-its-kind partnership between JPS Health Network, Cook Children’s Health Care System, The City of Fort Worth, LVTRise, WestAid and other trusted partners. More than just a clinic, it serves as a health care hub, connecting individuals and families to services that support every facet of well-being, from personal safety and medical care to food security, financial stability, and strong family foundations.

For the complete story behind the center and information about its services, visit Cook Children’s website. To help support Cook Children’s Promise to improve the health and well-being of every child in our care and communities, visit cookchildrenspromise.org.

But the tide is turning.

On Aug. 5, 2025, the new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area officially opened its doors, bringing a fresh wave of safety, health and nutrition resources to Las Vegas Trail residents. The center is a first-of-its-kind partnership between JPS Health Network, Cook Children’s Health Care System, The City of Fort Worth, LVTRise and WestAid. More than just a clinic, it serves as a health care hub, connecting individuals and families to services that support every facet of well-being, from personal safety and medical care to food security, financial stability, and strong family foundations. 

Scroll to read how all of our partners are bringing critical health care and social services to children and families in the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood.

The years that followed were marred with economic decline. The lack of stable and meaningful employment in the area snowballed into poverty, crime, empty pantries and housing loss—all of which contribute to worsening physical and mental health.

But the new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area aims to change all of that through its Workforce Development Program, supported by trusted community partners such as Cook Children’s Health Care System, JPS Health Network, Tarrant County College and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County.

“We’re looking to change the trajectory of an individual’s life and, in doing so, their family’s future for generations to come, because we know that stable and meaningful employment can do that,” said Kim Cummings, assistant vice president of Human Resources at Cook Children’s Health Care System. “We also know that relieving the stress of joblessness and financial strain can lead to better mental health and allow individuals to live healthier lives.”

Designed and delivered by Tarrant County College’s (TCC) Corporate Solutions and Economic Development division, the Workforce Development Program will equip those enrolled in the program with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. Participants will earn stackable micro-credentials to showcase their job readiness and unlock opportunities for career advancement. The program supports the goal of expanding job training and career coaching for Las Vegas Trail residents as outlined in the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan. Although delivered through a health-care jobs lens, the skills gained through the program will help equip individuals with professional tools useful in any industry.

“We intentionally designed this program to target and help fill the workforce gaps at Cook Children's and JPS,” said Christine Hernandez, Cook Children’s Workforce Development Specialist. “This is an entryway into health care with the potential for advancement when the next opportunity opens. That's what we're hoping happens with this program. We give those who complete the program the opportunity to apply for and potentially be hired into an entry level position, and they advance their career through the organization as time goes on.”

Tarrant County College’s Corporate Solutions and Economic Development team will provide a practical, learner-centered curriculum covering various topics such as customer service, professional communication, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and task management and execution, as well as Microsoft Office tools including Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.

“This partnership reflects the best of what community-centered education can achieve—equipping individuals with practical skills, empowering them with confidence, and connecting them to meaningful careers in health care,” said Richard Chance, dean of Corporate Solutions and Economic Development at TCC’s Trinity River Campus.

Located in downtown Fort Worth, the Trinity River Campus serves as TCC’s hub for health sciences and nursing programs, making it a natural anchor for this community-focused workforce effort.

“This is higher education at its best. Relevant, responsive, and rooted in the community," said Drew T. Jackson, Tarrant County College subject matter expert in Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness, Corporate Solutions and Economic Development. “The aim is precise—help LVT residents walk into interviews at Cook Children's and JPS ready to contribute on day one and position them to advance. We are grateful for the trust of our partners and excited to open a clear, job-ready pathway into health care for our neighbors.”

Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is funding the program and covering fees for eligible participants. To be eligible for the program, individuals must be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma or equivalent, be able to meet background verification requirements, have an interest in a health care job and want to learn new skills.

“Our presence at the neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area is about more than access, it’s about opportunity,” said Robert Sturns, executive director of Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County. “Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is here to help the residents in Las Vegas Trail gain skills, explore career pathways and connect with jobs that support growth and long-term stability. It’s workforce support, right in the heart of the community and we couldn’t be prouder to be part of this historic collaboration.”

Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County will also remove barriers by providing wraparound professional development support, which includes resume writing, job-search coaching, mentorship and internship connections, as well as transportation and childcare assistance for eligible individuals in the program.

In the 12-week program, individuals will attend class twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the neighborhood health center training room. Participants must commit to attending all classes and completing all assignments. At the end of the 12 weeks, participants will receive a printed certificate for completing the program and have the opportunity to apply and interview for employment opportunities at Cook Children’s and JPS Health Network.

“This initiative exemplifies our bold, responsive commitment to meeting learners where they are and preparing them for where the region is headed,” said S. Sean Madison, Ed.D., president of TCC’s Trinity River Campus. “By deeply engaging with our community and equipping individuals with skills that are immediately valuable in today’s workforce, we’re strengthening career pathways, fostering economic growth, and building a more resilient, connected future—together.”

If you are seeking stable employment and want to learn skills to jumpstart a career in health care, find more information and start your application for the Workforce Development Program on the program’s website. 

For two decades, the residents of Las Vegas Trail (LVT) in west Fort Worth have lived in a food and health care desert. The slow decline of the area since the 1993 closing of Carswell Air Force Base—once the economic anchor of the neighborhood—made the community vulnerable to poverty and crime. As a result, access to quality health care, nutritious food sources, safe community spaces and economic stability became a thing of the past.

But the tide is turning.

Today, the new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area opened its doors, bringing a fresh wave of safety, health and nutrition resources to Las Vegas Trail residents. The center is a first-of-its-kind partnership between JPS Health Network, Cook Children’s Health Care System, The City of Fort Worth, LVTRise and WestAid. More than just a clinic, it serves as a health care hub, connecting individuals and families to services that support every facet of well-being, from personal safety and medical care to food security, financial stability, and strong family foundations.

“This project represents a major strategic investment in the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, demonstrating our commitment to this vital part of our community,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “The partnership between Cook Children’s, JPS, the City of Fort Worth, LVTRise, West Aid, and many others is a groundbreaking model for comprehensive community care. We are establishing a best practice here, and Fort Worth’s innovative approach will be a model for other cities.”

The Butterfly Effect

Every fall, a new batch of monarch butterflies migrates south through the heart of Texas to fir forests in central Mexico, often traversing the state along the 1-35 corridor—one of the most heavily traveled monarch highways. It is the first and only time this generation of butterflies will make the migration. Somehow, without any prior experience, they know the way, making them a unique symbol of strength, resilience and hope that guests will see reflected throughout the neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area. From a colorful outdoor mural that greets guests as they arrive to the butterfly mobile that hangs in the lobby, the monarch and their natural habitats inspired much of the facility’s design.

“We learned through the construction research of this project that this area is actually located along the path of the monarch’s migration pattern every year,” said Veronica Tolley, Cook Children’s vice president of Primary and Specialty Services. “Most people in the community probably don’t realize this, but it’s something that we wanted to highlight, celebrate and build a sense of community pride around. It reflects that there's something unique and beautiful happening here.”

The monarch is also a reflection of how a single small action can spark lasting change. There’s a saying that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil can set off a tornado in Texas. In other words, even the smallest action can set off a chain of events that make a big impact. It’s a concept known as the “butterfly effect,” and this same principle is at work in the story of the new neighborhood health center.

It all began with the pioneering efforts of LVTRise, a non-profit dedicated to the revitalization and sustainability of the Las Vegas Trail community. The organization officially got its start in 2018 following months of talks between community members, city leaders, business owners and concerned neighbors who shared a vision for addressing the lack of health, safety, and sense of community in the area. This meeting of the minds stirred the air and ignited a movement. What began as a grass-roots effort to restore vitality to the Las Vegas Trail community rippled outward and ignited a wave of transformation, leading to the creation of the RISE Community Center in 2020, and now, the establishment of the neighborhood health center.

For Fort Worth City Councilman Michael D. Crain, the hope of a revitalized Las Vegas Trail is personal. This area isn’t just a part of his district. It’s a place filled with fond childhood memories of visiting his aunt when she lived in Las Vegas Trail during its heyday in the 80s.

“I have seen the great resiliency of the people who call Las Vegas Trail home,” Councilman Crain said. “They care about their future and that of their children. We cannot allow another generation to slip deeper into poverty. The neighborhood health center is a critical step in improving their present and protecting their future through access to desperately needed resources identified in our Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan, which is full of ideas and recommendations for improvement that came straight from the residents who live there.”

The Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan, a state-of-the-community report published in 2022 and shaped largely by the voices of community members, outlines the needs of the residents, gaps in community resources and ideas for the neighborhood’s renewal. This plan played a key role in shaping the vision of the new neighborhood health center and the collaborative efforts that brought it to life.

“We have dreamt of this type of project to come true and to see it actually happening is really exciting,” Tolley said. “To see the staff, the leadership and the various stakeholders throughout Cook Children’s ready to pour into this community, it feels like I’m living my dream.”

Together, We Rise

Every partner of the neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area provides a service that supports one or more of the building blocks of health and well-being, such as safety, economic stability, health care, behavioral health counseling, and access to food and nutrition education, all in one convenient location. Together, these organizations and services make the center a one-stop shop where residents can access everything from cooking classes and a food pantry to job training, mental health services and medical care for children and adults. 

“The collaboration that has gone into this center is what truly makes it so special, and I’m really honored to say that Cook Children’s is a part of it,” said Rick Merrill, president and CEO of Cook Children’s Health Care System. “The best part is that the residents have been a huge voice and guiding light in the transformation happening there, even helping us envision and paint a beautiful mural at the new facility. Their fingerprints are all over this project, and will continue to guide how we evolve in this space to best serve them.”

Cook Children’s will provide well-child checks, sick care, childhood immunizations, pediatric behavioral health care, food and nutrition education, and assistance navigating the health care system and community resources. JPS Health Network will provide family medicine health services for adults and children, as well as behavioral health, women’s health, on-site laboratory services, social work and more. Although JPS Health Network and Cook Children’s have been Tarrant County mainstays for well over 100 years, this is the first time the two have partnered to offer comprehensive health services in one facility.

“The JPS partnership with Cook Children’s symbolizes the significance of public, private partnerships,” said Karen Duncan, M.D., M.B.A, president and CEO of JPS Health Network. “The center represents our priority to better serve our patients and the community. Together, we will provide critical health and social services to improve much-needed access in the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood.”

Partners in Purpose and Progress

About 32% of Las Vegas Trail residents live below the poverty level, according to the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan. Many depend on food assistance to feed their families, such as that from WestAid Food Pantry. Now, community members can access WestAid at its new home at the neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area.

Just steps away from the food pantry is the center’s commercial-sized demonstration kitchen, staffed full-time with a Cook Children’s dietitian. Anchored by a spacious island designed for gathering, this kitchen will host cooking classes and nutrition workshops that empower guests to prepare healthy, budget-friendly meals for themselves and their families. Together, WestAid  Food Pantry and the demonstration kitchen help connect the dots between nutrition and the role it plays in overall health and well-being.

According to the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan, roughly 1% of the City of Fort Worth’s population resides in the Las Vegas Trail area, yet it accounts for roughly 4% of the city’s crime. However, current neighborhood policing initiatives are beginning to show positive results. Both crime against people and crime against property numbers in the area are trending down, according to Sergeant A.S. Owen, Fort Worth Police Department’s West Division Lincoln District NPO. One of those initiatives is the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, a crime-prevention collaboration between the police department and apartment managers aiming to reduce crime, drugs and gangs on apartment properties. A new Fort Worth Police Storefront located at the center will serve as the home for the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, as well as a space for West Division officers to complete reports and regroup between patrols.

Several other community resources and businesses play a role in supporting the programs and care that will be provided at the neighborhood health center. 

Tarrant County College will lead an on-site workforce development program designed to give residents a pathway into the job market, including employment opportunities at Cook Children’s Health Care System and JPS Health Network. Funding from Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County will provide support services, such as paid internship opportunities, and childcare and transportation assistance for individuals in the workforce development program. Several local organizations will provide instruction in the center’s demonstration kitchen, as well as community health education classes and resources.

Nurturing Neighborhoods

With the opening of the neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area, Cook Children’s now has nine neighborhood health centers throughout Tarrant County. Each is located in areas where residents are met with multiple barriers to accessing care, including limited transportation, food insecurity, language or literacy barriers, and a lack of awareness of available resources and how to navigate them. These neighborhood health centers serve as primary health care homes for children, as well as access points to broader specialty services within Cook Children’s Health Care System.

Many of those who visit a Cook Children’s Neighborhood Health Center depend on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for health care coverage, including thousands in the Las Vegas Trail area. A little more than 40% of Las Vegas Trail area residents rely on public health insurance, with another quarter having no health insurance at all, according to the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan.

In 2024, children in this neighborhood accounted for more than 4,000 visits to Cook Children’s Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers for primary health care needs, not emergencies or urgent situations. An additional 7,000 visits were made to Cook Children’s other neighborhood health center locations, none of which are easily accessible from Las Vegas Trail.

Now, these children and families have a place to call their health care home, with services tailored to the community’s unique needs.

“Cook Children’s Health Plan covers close to 6,000 children and pregnant women with Medicaid or CHIP in the Las Vegas Trail community,” said Karen Love, president of Cook Children’s Health Plan. “For so long, this area has been a health care desert. Our members have had to travel outside of their neighborhood, sometimes taking multiple buses to get to a medical appointment. So the investment of bringing that care close to them is what I’m most excited about.”

Because so many Cook Children’s Health Plan members live in the area, the health plan will have staff on-site to help connect members with Medicaid services. For the first time, the health plan will house a dedicated community health worker at the center to assist both health plan members and non-members in navigating the health care system, social services and community resources.

“Most of our interactions today with our members are over the phone, but many of these families have lots of things going on in their lives and sometimes they need the opportunity to sit down face-to-face with somebody and talk through their needs and concerns,” Love said.

30 Days of Wellness

To help residents feel at home and discover all that the neighborhood’s new health hub has to offer, on Aug. 6, the center will kick off 30 Days of Wellness—a month-long celebration of community, connection and care. Every weekday through Sept. 5, visitors will find hands-on demos, health screenings, safety workshops, nutrition classes and more, all hosted by Cook Children’s and trusted local partners.

Programming includes diabetes education, parenting tips and tools, art activities for children, assistance applying for Medicaid and CHIP benefits as well as the JPS Connection program, substance abuse and mental health resources, nutrition education, oral health information and more. Click here for a calendar and complete list of daily activities.

You can learn more about the new center and its services, classes and events on Cook Children’s website.

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Neighborhoods marred by crime don’t just feel unsafe, they become hazardous to health. When fear takes root, people retreat indoors and avoid parks, schools, clinics and engaging with their neighbors—all building blocks to healthy bodies and minds.

For decades, the Las Vegas Trail area has been a hotspot for crime in Fort Worth. Although roughly 1% of the population of the City of Fort Worth, the area accounts for roughly 4% of the city’s crime, according to the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan published in 2022.

However, recent efforts by the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD), in partnership with LVTRise, to reduce crime, increase safety and build community, are producing positive results.

Both crime against people and crime against property numbers in the area are trending down, according to Sergeant A.S. Owen, FWPD West Division Lincoln NPO.

“One of the most significant elements of the success our department is having with respect to curbing crime in the LVT corridor is understanding that our job as law enforcement officers is not to simply make arrests, but rather to solve problems and meet the needs of the community,” Sgt. Owen said.

In a unified effort, FWPD’s Lincoln Neighborhood Police Officer team and LVTRise have essentially redefined policing in a uniquely underserved area by creating opportunities for direct and meaningful engagement with youth and families in the community. Thanks to these efforts, traditional barriers between law enforcement and the community are eroding. In their place, a foundation of trust is emerging.

“Whether we are building STEM projects with youth, riding with kids in race cars at Texas Motor Speedway, or sitting with families in charter buses as we ride through the Gift of Lights while listening to holiday music, our presence now means something markedly different in an area once adversely affected by exceedingly violent crime,” said Officer Nelson Ehirim, formerly with FWPD’s Lincoln Neighborhood Officer team and now with the Crime Free Multi-Housing Program. “Everyday our directive is to go out and just have a conversation. A storefront embedded in the community is an incredible resource to continue this mission.”

The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program, which works to strengthen security in the area’s many apartment communities, is making a significant impact, too. Of the more than 7,000 housing units in Las Vegas Trail, 84% of them are in multi-family apartment complexes, according to the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Transformation Plan. The Crime Free Multi-Housing Program holds property managers accountable for certain measures, such as proper lighting, functioning gates and well-groomed landscaping. It also empowers apartment managers to initiate emergency notices to vacate against individuals committing violent crimes against others on the property after they have been arrested.

“What we have seen is that the community members are slowly beginning to become more comfortable reporting incidents and communicating with the police in the neighborhood when they know these violent offenders will not continue to be their neighbors even after offenses have been committed against them and the offenders are released from jail,” Sgt. Owen said.

Other initiatives making positive headway in the Las Vegas Trail corridor include the housing program known as the High ImpACT Placement Program and the institution of the Criminal Trespass Affidavit.

Safe communities aren’t made by law enforcement alone, Sgt. Owen says. Access to food, shelter and health care all play a critical role in developing secure and peaceful neighborhoods. When those basic needs go unmet, the stress can push people to a breaking point—where poor choices, sometimes even criminal ones, are made.

“The health component that the neighborhood health center brings is a massive step in the right direction with respect to meeting another need of this community that has been a longstanding void,” Sgt. Owen said. “Some of the people in this community are waking up with their bucket of life stressors already 80% full, some even more. What we are trying to do is drain that bucket as much as we can with every interaction we have. The new health center is providing a resource that is going to drain this metaphorical bucket in ways that we could never dream of. Some of the things, such as mental health care, job training and income stability this center is bringing to the community, I believe are going to present opportunities for monumental forward progress for the Las Vegas Trail area.”

By addressing the root cause of crime—such as access to care, housing stability and community connection—these partners hope to be a model for what’s possible when public safety and public health join forces.

Under one roof, neighbors will find:

• Cook Children’s Neighborhood Health Center offering pediatric medicine, behavioral health, well-child and sick visit care.
• JPS Health Center offering family medicine, behavioral health, women’s health, social services and more.
• WestAid on-site food pantry
• A demonstration kitchen staffed by a registered dietitian
• Workforce training program focused on customer service positions in health care
• Community education classes for pregnancy, lactation support, asthma, CPR, injury prevention, parenting support, adult health and more
• A Fort Worth Police storefront

We have a very special video for you to watch introduced by Chris Pedigo, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy, Education and Community Health Officer. Listen to several people at Cook Children's who have made the dream of the new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail community a reality. 

This landmark public-private partnership ends the health care drought in the area, giving every generation of the household close-to-home access to a full range of adult and pediatric primary medical services, mental health counseling and social services.

“This partnership was born of our shared vision with Cook Children’s to deliver health care for the whole family that would create a transformational impact in a community with critical health care needs,” said Joy Parker, senior vice president of operations at JPS Health Network. “JPS has worked with local leaders and organizations for several years to understand the needs of this neighborhood and how best to serve them. This new health center is a result of listening, learning, and investing in partnerships that can drive meaningful change.”

The neighborhood health center is home to a JPS Health Network Health Center, where adults and children can receive preventative health care, chronic disease management, annual exams and health screenings. Women can also access comprehensive care for every stage of life, including family planning, prenatal care, well-woman visits and gynecological services. In addition, those needing mental health support can find counseling and care coordination in a welcoming and confidential setting.

The health center is supported by on-site laboratory services, social workers, and eligibility and enrollment specialists for those needing financial support. This all-in-one, collaborative approach ensures that every patient, no matter why they walk in the door, has access to the full spectrum of care and resources they may need. 

“So if a mom brings her child in for a well-check, our team is already thinking ahead about her potential needs,” Parker said. “Does she need a women’s health screening? Could she benefit from behavioral health support or help managing a chronic condition? Does the family need access to food resources or health education? Because all of these services are under one roof, and because our care teams work side-by-side and will communicate closely, she can be connected to the right resources the same day.”

The neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area isn’t just a place for the sick. It’s a one-stop wellness hub where people can access all of the tools, knowledge and support they need to stay well, and it’s removing the barriers that often keep people from getting the care they deserve.

Consider the impacts of food insecurity and financial instability. Both can contribute to declining health, whether it’s chronic illness caused by poor nutrition, or delayed medical care when someone is forced to forgo treatment due to job loss or mounting bills. These needs, and many others, can be met through services provided at the center thanks to the support of multiple partners. Designed to keep the community ahead of the curve when managing and treating health complications, this convenient and timely access gives community members a pathway to address their challenges early, before they develop into a crisis.

“It’s about meeting people where they are,” Parker said. “We’re not just treating one person or one issue, we’re caring for the whole family, and we’re doing it together. This is about access, dignity, and partnerships. We’re proud to work alongside organizations that share our values, and we’re excited for what this clinic means, not just for today, but for the future of this community.”

To schedule an appointment at JPS Health Network’s Health Center located at the new neighborhood health center serving the Las Vegas Trail area, please call 817-702-1100.

About 7,000 Cook Children’s Health Plan members reside in the Las Vegas Trail corridor. Until the establishment of this new role, most of their interactions with the health plan were over the phone. Now, they’ll have someone to visit with in-person. Guests can access this service through the health education center at the new facility.

“Having a community health worker on-site at a health center is a brand new role for the health plan,” said Kathy Schwab, MSN, RN, director of STAR/CHIP Service Coordination and Population Health at Cook Children’s Health Plan. “The vision is that the community health worker will be available for anyone visiting the center who might need linkages to other kinds of resources.”

For example, a student in the center’s job training program may also need food assistance, and can receive help getting connected to the West Aid Food Pantry located just steps away from where they are learning. Or, a patient receiving health services may need assistance with setting up transportation to another medical visit.

“They may even need someone to just sit down with them and go through an assessment of the big picture of what's going on in their life medically or socially, or what's going on with their kids,  and what resources they are needing,” Schwab said. “Sky can do that, and then put together a plan and some resources to help them with whatever it is that they might be struggling with.”

Assistance from the community health worker is not limited to health plan members. Anyone from the community visiting the center can access this service, which includes help completing Medicaid and SNAP applications.

In addition to being a community health worker, Ramos holds a degree in social work. While earning her degree, she completed an internship with the Boys and Girls Club, where she worked with at-risk youth and their parents. Ramos is also a member of the board of directors for a support group for moms of children with autism.

But her qualifications for this role go far beyond her professional credentials and education. Ramos’ connection with those living in the Las Vegas Trial community and the challenges they face is much more personal. She is the daughter of immigrants and, like many of those who reside in the Las Vegas Trail corridor, English is her second language. She is also a single mom who once called Las Vegas Trail home. 

“I’ve been through the struggles of being a single mom, so I really understand our moms and can connect with them on that level,” Ramos said “I know what it feels like to come from a family who's struggling with low income, and also coming from an immigrant family and having that language barrier because I didn't always speak English. So I’m really excited to be able to relate to them and empathize with them because I understand where they are coming from. I think it takes somebody who knows the struggles to really understand what help is needed.”

Schwab is confident Ramos is the right person for this pioneering role, too.

“I see this role as one that can help empower people and help them really rise up,” Schwab said. “That is what I love about Cook Children’s Health Plan, because it’s not just about providing health care coverage. It’s about providing things that help people rise up out of their circumstances and empower them to have better health and a better life. Sky is the perfect fit for actually doing that.”

To access services provided by the community health worker, call 682-303-8319 or visit the neighborhood health center’s website.

That’s the idea behind the health center’s Demonstration Kitchen. Outfitted with commercial-grade appliances, the kitchen is designed to welcome Las Vegas Trail residents to the table for cooking classes and nutrition counseling and education. It will be an interactive space, where guests can engage with one another while learning how to choose and prepare healthy meals on a budget.

“The first thing you see when you walk in is the large kitchen island, and that's where I foresee myself and the other instructors having everybody gathered around," said Maya Rashad, MPH, RDN, LD, Cook Children’s dietitian and Nutrition Program coordinator at the center. “It’s an intimate setting and designed to be a community space that fosters conversation and getting to know your neighbor. We want the community to feel comfortable talking and interacting with each other during the classes.”

Nutrition education will be peppered throughout each class as guests dice, slice and whisk their way to a delicious meal.

“I think that’s important because a lot of people are given nutrition knowledge, but my teachers always told me that teaching about nutrition without involving cooking is like teaching someone math without the textbook.”

While the Demonstration Kitchen has all of the capabilities of a restaurant kitchen, many of the recipes taught will be adaptable to whatever cooking tool a guest has access to at home, be it a microwave, crock pot, hot plate or full range and oven.

Just steps away from the demonstration kitchen is the West Aid Food Pantry—a perfect pairing that connects the dots of turning a bag full of groceries into a nutritious family meal. With 32% of Las Vegas Trail residents living below the poverty level, many rely on food assistance from West Aid just to get by.

“We do have classes planned that will teach how to eat healthy when needing to be resourceful, whether that's having limited cooking supplies or relying on food pantries for the majority of your monthly meal needs,” Rashad says.

Rashad hopes what is learned in the Demonstration Kitchen will be carried into the home—like cherished family recipes—nurturing generations of healthy choices and lifestyles.

Cook Children’s website has a full calendar of classes, which will be led by several trusted community partners. The first class is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 20. Led by Mother’s Milk Bank, it will focus on the benefits of breastfeeding and nutrition for breastfeeding mothers. Just like the availability of fresh ingredients changes with the season, the Demonstration Kitchen will tailor its menu according to feedback from the community.

“We really do want to honor the Las Vegas Trail community in the planning and selection of classes,” Rashad said. We are going to continuously get feedback and provide new class options. This concept is all new, so we'll be learning right along with the community.”

Visit the Demonstration Kitchen’s website for a complete list of classes.

Rashad’s tips for cooking on a budget:

• Shop the season. Choose fruits and vegetables that are naturally ripe and harvested during the current time of year. They’re often less expensive and will be bursting with flavor and nutrients.
• Load up on plant-based proteins. Dried or canned beans, lentils, and grains are often more affordable than meat and go a long way in meals.
• Cooking in bulk is both a cost and time saver. Freeze leftovers for a quick and easy meal another day.

Need help getting started? Here’s a simple one-skillet recipe from eatright.org using budget-friendly ingredients for a quick weeknight dinner.

Savory Penne with Lentils and Kale

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking Time: 27 minutes
• Ingredients
  • ½ cup brown lentils
  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) light olive oil
  • ½ cup onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 2 cups dry whole-wheat penne pasta
  • 1½ cups (360 milliliters) canned crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup frozen kale, chopped
  • ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse lentils in a fine mesh strainer and remove any debris.
2. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onions and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. To the pan, add lentils, pasta, crushed tomatoes, 2½ cups (600 milliliters) water, salt, black pepper, oregano and basil. Stir to combine, then cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Set a timer for 18 minutes.
4. After the timer goes off, lift the lid and place the frozen kale on top of the mixture. Replace the lid and cook for another 4 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
5. Serve in bowls and top evenly with chopped walnuts and parsley.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1¼ cups (291 grams). Serves 6
• Calories: 217; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 212mg; Total Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugars: 5g; Protein: 9g; Potassium: 442mg; Phosphorus: 188mg.

This recipe originally appeared in Food & Nutrition Magazine^®, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

A collaborative team gathered for breakfast on July 15, 2025, to prepare for the opening of a neighborhood health center serving Las Vegas Trail families. The health hub sits on the corner of Cherry Lane and Calmont Avenue just off of I-30 in west Fort Worth.

This "Meet & Greet" was specifically for the dedicated staff and partners who will be working in the building and serving the community. The agenda brought together representatives from Cook Children’s, JPS Health Network, WestAid, the City of Fort Worth Police Department, and more, all under one roof to forge a new approach to community health. The meeting's purpose was to ensure everyone was introduced and aligned on the promise and mission before the doors open to the public.

The breakfast served as a crucial kickoff, allowing the collective group to get to know each other and their respective roles within the new facility. Leaders from Cook Children's such as Chris Pedigo, SVP, Chief Strategy, Education and Community Health Officer, Veronica Tolley, assistant vice president of Cook Children's Physician Network, Karen Love, President, Cook Children’s Health Plan, Spencer Seals, VP Construction and Real Estate, Natalie Wilkins, VP Operations, Laura Van Hoosier, Public Relations & Corporate Communications and others were on hand to provide a comprehensive project overview, while department leads shared details on everything from the Cook Children’s neighborhood health center (Christina Reed, LMSW, Director of Operations, Neighborhood Health Centers and Outpatient Psychiatry, Cook Children’s Physician Network) to the JPS Health Center (Joy Parker) along with food pantry services (William Pherigo); teaching kitchen (Maya Rashad, Registered Dietitian), community health worker services (Sky Ramos, Community Health Worker, Cook Children’s Health Plan); job training programs (Kim Cummings, AVP, Human Resources, Cook Children’s and Christine Hernandez, Workforce Development Specialist) and the police storefront (Commander Amy Heise).

To ensure everyone was fully prepared, Robert Weber provided an orientation on building safety and protocols, while Brian Leird led a full tour of the facility, helping the team confidently navigate their new shared workspace.

As the meeting concluded, the team received a look at the exciting weeks ahead. The agenda highlighted key dates, including:

• July 23: First patient day for both clinics 
• July 29: Media Day 
• Aug. 5: Official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony 
• Aug. 6 - Sept. 5: 30 Days of Wellness events (Dana Walraven)
• This initial gathering marked the official launch of a new, unified effort to bring comprehensive care and support directly to the Las Vegas Trail community and residents.

Our friends and partner from LVTRise, Paige Charbonnet, had a conflict this day, but we celebrated her many contributions.

In addition, Fort Worth City Councilman Michael Crain, who was a visionary for the project and was a part of the painting of the butterfly mural, had a chance to address many of the attendees during Media Day on July 29, and was a featured speaker at the grand opening festivities.

Why was Las Vegas Trail considered a health care desert?
Once a vibrant community catering to Carswell Air Force Base personnel, the Las Vegas Trail (LVT) area significantly declined when the base closed in the early 1990s. The base provided most services, so there was little need for local commercial development or community amenities surrounding LVT apartments and single-family homes. This resulted in the neighborhood's current landscape: predominantly dense multi-family housing with a severe lack of local businesses, jobs or community services (including health care).

What was the impact of the closure of Carswell Air Force Base on the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood?
In 2017, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram published a series of articles on LVT highlighting its years of neglect and growing challenges. Despite representing only 1% of Fort Worth's population, it accounted for approximately 4% of the city's crime. At that time, an estimated 71% of people living in the area were believed to be living at low to very low-income levels. The median household income was $31,495, less than half of Fort Worth's average ($62,187).

Compounding these issues, 67% of households were led by single parents. Access to health care was limited, with 41% relying on public insurance and nearly a quarter having no insurance at all. Local elementary schools saw a 90% student mobility rate, meaning 9 in 10 kids who started kindergarten would leave the school before fifth grade, highlighting extreme instability for families.

What was the response to the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s reporting?
Following the Star Telegram’s reporting, a series of listening sessions, town hall meetings and surveys were conducted to identify the neighborhood’s greatest needs. LVTRise, a local nonprofit organization, was formed in 2018 to address many of those needs. In 2021, the City of Fort Worth hired a third-party to create a roadmap for sustained change in the neighborhood. The result was the Las Vegas Trail Transformation Plan, which you can read more about on the City of Fort Worth’s website.

What are the demographics of residents in Las Vegas Trail?
The Las Vegas Trail area is home to about 14,000 residents in a 1.7-square-mile area. Residents identify themselves as Black, white and Hispanic (roughly one-third per group). The neighborhood also has a 30% transiency rate.

What are some of the top concerns for citizens of Last Vegas Trail?
Top concerns for people living in Las Vegas Trail include transportation, food insecurity, employment, access to health care, mental health and safety.

What is the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail?
The neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail is a first-of-its-kind community partnership bringing critical health care and social services to residents in LVT. Partners include Cook Children’s, JPS Health Network, The City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Police, WestAid, LVT Rise, Tarrant County College and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County. 

The neighborhood health center is located in a 40,000-square foot, two-story building encompassing:

• Pediatric medical care through Cook Children’s ninth neighborhood health center
• Adult medical care through JPS’ Adult Medical Home
• Behavioral health services for adults and children
• Prenatal care, women’s health services and family support programs
• Fort Worth Police Storefront to foster community relationships (City of Fort Worth)
• Workforce training program focused on customer service positions in health care (Workforce Solutions, Tarrant County College, Cook Children’s, JPS) 
• Social services support such as:
  • On-site food pantry (WestAid)
  • Demonstration kitchen and full-time nutritionist (Cook Children’s)
  • Community education classes for pregnancy, lactation support, asthma, CPR, injury prevention, parenting support, adult health, etc. (Cook Children’s Health Plan, Cook Children’s Center for Community Health, JPS)
  • Benefits application help (Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, JPS Health Connect)

The building sits on 3.7 acres of donated land at the intersection of Calmont Avenue and Cherry Lane in west Fort Worth.

Who does the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail serve?
The neighborhood health center will serve more than 100,000 people who live in LVT and surrounding areas, including more than 20,000 children (14 years and younger).

How have residents who live in Las Vegas Trail been receiving medical care?
Adults
Residents typically travel outside the neighborhood for health care, use Rise Community Center computers for virtual care or take advantage of mobile health care units (when they’re in the area).

Children
In 2024, children in this neighborhood accounted for more than 4,000 visits to Cook Children’s Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers for reasons that were primarily for primary care rather than emergencies or urgent situations.

An additional 7,000 patients are cared for annually at Cook Children’s other neighborhood health center locations, none of which are easily accessible from Las Vegas Trail.

More than 5,500 members of Cook Children’s Health Plan (which provides Medicaid & CHIP) live in Las Vegas Trail, underscoring the critical need for local health care access.

Where can I learn more?
Cook Children’s has more information about services, classes, events and more on its website.

For the last week, Cook Children’s Center for Community Health provided mindfulness games and stress-relief techniques for kids, job training and oral health tips with free dental-care kits and cavity-prevention demostrations. KERA shared their family resources with children and parents. JPS shared QPR training, workforce development and lactation education. Friday focused on vehicle safety with Cook Children’s Center for Community Health, JPS Community Outreach & Education and JPS Trauma Injury Prevention. There was booster seat education and sign-ups for free car seat checks, car seat education and installation with a certified child passenger safety technician and motor vehicle crash prevention.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for these past 30 days! Keep an eye out for more events to come in the future!

This fourth week of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail was full of fun!

Cook Children’s Center for Community Health shared activity dice games and easy 5210+ lessons. JPS stopped by to give lactation education and a behavioral health overview. Cook Children’s, JPS Health Network, TCC, and Workforce Solutions provided on-site job training information, registration, and answered any questions. The Demo Kitchen held its second nutrition class with practical meal ideas for picky eaters and growing appetites. We had more guided walk-throughs of the facility for local agencies to learn how to collaborate for community care. The week ended with JPS’s Connection Program Engagement and Cook Children’s Health Plan Engagement Table.

We had lots of smiling faces at our third week of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail!

To kick off the week, The Parenting Center shared tips on discipline, positive communication and stress management while KERA Family Resources offered their services for kids and parents. JPS Connections program explained their financial resources and JPS Women’s Services provided support for breastfeeding families. The American Heart Association stopped by with lifestyle coaching to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health brought fun fitness stations for every age and ability. Wednesday focused on poison prevention with Cook Children’s Center for Community Health and poison education with North Texas Poison Center. Jacob’s Journey stopped by to distribute naloxone as well. The Demonstration Kitchen hosted its first infant nutrition class alongside Mother’s Milk Bank.

The week wrapped up with CHAMP Texas having peer-led discussions and referral information. Cook Children’s, JPS Health Network, TCC, and Workforce Solutions had on-site job training information, registration, and answered questions. JPS Community Outreach provided information on behavioral health service lines, programs, and clinic locations. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health had several nutrition booths providing information on growing healthy foods, making healthy snacks, and promoting healthy development in your family.

We loved having our second week of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail! It was the first full week of events and we were thrilled to see so many new faces stop by.

To celebrate the first week of school, the NHC Demo Kitchen invited kids to create quick, nutritious treats they can make at home for an after school snack. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health had multiple events throughout the week covering various topics such as asthma action plan basics for kids, safe sleep education, infant resources and parenting tools for communication, routines and resilience. JPS also hosted several events about their Connection Program, behavioral health services, diabetes education as well as lactation education. My Health My Resources (MHMR)  shared early-childhood development screening and support referrals. Lastly, Cook Children’s had art projects that teach kids to identify and express emotions and support coping skills.

This week kicked off the first few days of our 30 Days of Wellness events at the neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail! Volunteers from the Parent Pass phone app stopped by to explain how to navigate the app and share about all the local events and opportunities in the area. Cook Children’s Center for Community Health’s “Aim for Safety” initiative leaders and the JPS Trauma department shared hands-on firearm safety knowledge and safe storage resources. The Fort Worth Police Department demonstrated child-proofing essentials and gave tips to secure your home. It was a successful first three days and we are looking forward to more!

Join us for a full month of free wellness activities, education and family-friendly celebrations designed to help our community thrive. Every weekday (Aug. 6 - Sept. 5), you’ll find hands-on demos, health screenings, safety workshops, nutrition classes and more, all hosted by Cook Children’s and trusted local partners. No registration is required unless noted.

When: Aug. 6 – Sept. 5, 2025
Where: The neighborhood health center in Las Vegas Trail
2800 S. Cherry Lane, Suite 100
Fort Worth, TX 76116

Leaders from Cook Children’s Health Care System stood side-by-side today with representatives from JPS Health Network, the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, LVTRise and WestAid Community Resources to break ground on the Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center.

The center, located on 3.7 donated acres at the corner of Calmont Avenue and Cherry Lane in west Fort Worth, will be home to various pediatric and adult medical and social services as well as a Fort Worth Police storefront.

The two-story, 40,000-square-foot Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center will open in late 2025. The addition is another step in the vision of city leaders, local nonprofits and health care partners to transform Fort Worth’s struggling Las Vegas Trail (LVT) neighborhood into a safe, healthy community with vital resources that support residents’ ability to live, work and play.

"To see real change you have to make focused investments. Building off of the success of the City's Neighborhood Improvement Program, we've seen the incredible domino effect that can happen when you work with a community to make targeted investments that will make the biggest difference,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “The Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center is the next great example of what years of focus and support can do to lift up a community, creating healthier and more vibrant futures for the families that call it home."

Strategic Impact

There are currently limited primary health care facilities and mental health resources close to the homes of LVT residents. For the more than 20,000 children ages 0 to 14 living in the area, access to pediatric providers for well-child checks and childhood vaccinations is insufficient. The same is true for adult health services for diabetes management or cardiovascular care, for example. As a result, many delay preventative care, or they tend to visit an emergency room for illnesses that could have easily and more cost effectively been cared for and managed in a primary care physician office.

In 2021, the two zip codes that encompass the Las Vegas Trail area generated more than 4,000 visits to Cook Children’s Emergency Department and Urgent Care Centers that were considered primary care rather than emergencies or urgent situations. An additional 6,200 patients were cared for in one of Cook Children’s seven other neighborhood health center locations, none of which are easily accessible from Las Vegas Trail, especially for those with transportation challenges.

“When we look at where to open a neighborhood clinic we consider where we can make the biggest impact based on a number of factors, including current and future population growth, existing resources in the area, socio-economic status and ER utilization from the particular zip codes we’re considering,” said Veronica Tolley, vice president of Primary and Specialty Services at Cook Children’s. “We’ve evaluated placing a clinic in Las Vegas Trail for some time. Once the land was gifted, it all came together for a really unique partnership that is the first of its kind for Cook Children’s.”

A Slow Decline

There was a time when Fort Worth’s Las Vegas Trail neighborhood was a vibrant, bustling community. Daily life and commerce centered around the neighborhood’s hub, the former U.S. air support training facility known as Carswell Air Force Base. Single-family homes and apartments built to support the base were home to military families from across the country.

In 1993, the base closed. With it went the neighborhood's anchor for groceries, health care and entertainment. The civilian businesses that supported Carswell families and workers followed suit, gutting the community of jobs and essentials for daily life.

Without this vital infrastructure the neighborhood spiraled into decline and became a hotbed for crime. Despite representing just 1% of Fort Worth’s population, LVT experiences 4% of the city’s crime. The median household income in Las Vegas Trail sits at $31,495, nearly half that of the City of Fort Worth, putting 32% of residents living there below the poverty level. Apartments account for 84% of the community’s housing, some of them falling into disrepair. Most children living in the area are being raised by single parents, according to the Neighborhood Transformation Plan published by LVTRise.

The neighborhood is both a food and health care desert. It lacks key factors that often support an individual’s overall health, such as safety, economic stability, parenting and family support, access to quality health care, nutritious food sources and places that encourage physical activity.

Michael D. Crain, Fort Worth City Councilman for District 3, remembers a time when the LVT community was a vibrant one. His aunt lived in the neighborhood in the 1980s, and he has fond memories of spending time with her there.    

"Over the years, as services became scarce and the population density increased, the area experienced a decline," expressed Councilman Crain. "However, it's important to acknowledge the remarkable individuals who call that place home. Realizing the pressing needs, it was imperative for us to prioritize and find ways to support the residents who live there."

On the Rise

In 2017, city leaders and concerned neighbors took note following a Fort Worth Star-Telegram article detailing the plight of Las Vegas Trail. Paige Charbonnet, executive director of LVTRise, was one of them. Charbonnet grew up nearby and now lives in neighboring Ridglea Hills.

“We live less than 10 minutes away, and I read the article and I thought, you know, I can read the article and move on with my day, or I could roll up my sleeves and do something,” Charbonnet said. “So I started volunteering at the primary school.”

At the same time, city leaders began holding listening sessions and town hall meetings with community members to hear their needs and concerns. Three common themes emerged: the desire for health, safety and community.

Charbonnet’s volunteerism morphed into community activism. She joined city leaders and other concerned citizens to address the needs of the neighborhood. Their efforts gave birth to a plan to transform the LVT community, and led to the formation of LVTRise, a non-profit dedicated to the revitalization and sustainability of the Las Vegas Trail community.

“What we do is amplify the voice of the neighborhood,” Charbonnet said. “We learned early on that our work wasn't about filling potholes and getting out of town. It was about building a relationship with the community, connecting individuals, and being their champion.”

In 2019, the City of Fort Worth purchased the former Westside YMCA. The facility underwent a renovation and, in 2020, opened its doors as the RISE Community Center. The community center is a neighborhood hub where LVT residents can gain access to meal assistance, after-school programs, educational resources and counseling. It’s a place where residents can connect with one another and build community as they do life together. It’s also home to LVTRise.

Pivotal Partnerships

The neighborhood health center will provide primary health care services for the LVT community and surrounding area, plus much more, thanks to partnerships between the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County College, LVTRise, WestAid Community Resources, JPS Health Network and Cook Children’s.

While Cook Children’s will provide primary pediatric care, JPS Health Network will offer adult medical services just across the hall. Although both health networks have been Tarrant County mainstays for well over 100 years, this is the first time the two have partnered to offer comprehensive health services in one facility.

“This partnership is historic, and it’s one of the things I’m most excited about,” Tolley said. “It’s not uncommon for an assessment of a child’s medical history to uncover a health issue in a parent and vice versa. We talk a lot in the health care industry about transitions of care and continuity for those instances. This is an example of providing that continuity in real life between pediatric and adult health, as we’ll be able to take care of the whole family in one place with an opportunity for seamless transition.”

Tolley says the lessons learned from this partnership have the potential to enhance services at Cook Children’s seven other neighborhood health clinics throughout Tarrant County.

“Once we master that transition with these two clinics side-by-side in one location, what’s to stop us from doing a better job of making those referrals and transitions within our other neighborhood clinics to JPS centers in other parts of town as well,” she said. “I think we’ll learn a lot from this that we can replicate throughout the community and really give families the type of continuity of care that can truly impact the entire family’s health and wellness.”

Comprehensive Care

The Las Vegas Trail Neighborhood Health Center will be a touchpoint for a number of building blocks for healthy living and sustainability, like education, economic stability, food security, parent and family resources and quality health care. 

Its staff will include a full-time family therapist dedicated to caring for the mental health of children and families. According to their parent or caregiver, 35% of children in the Las Vegas Trail area have a diagnosed mental health need. This represents an estimated 5,500 Las Vegas Trail area school-aged children, and this rate is higher than Tarrant County, as well as state and national benchmarks, according to data gathered for Cook Children’s 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment.

WestAid Community Resources’ food pantry will relocate to a dedicated space inside the clinic, and will be supported by a full-time Cook Children’s nutritionist and food demonstration kitchen where guests can learn how to prepare nutritious meals for their families. In honor of the Thanksgiving season, groundbreaking attendees brought canned goods to replenish the shelves of the WestAid food pantry.

“Someone can come into the neighborhood and build a grocery store, but if families don’t know how to choose and cook nutritious food, what good does that do?” Tolley said. “The idea is that through education and providing resources like temporary food security through the food pantry we are laying building blocks of sustainability.”

In partnership with Tarrant County College, the clinic will also house a job training center where residents can learn customer service, phone management and general office skills, to name a few. It’s a win-win approach, Tolley says, as it gives LVT residents employable skills to gain stable, well-paying jobs within the health industry while also building a new pool for filling staffing needs at Cook Children’s and JPS.

A Fort Worth Police storefront will call the center home, too. Councilman Crain hopes the addition will foster positive relationships between residents and law enforcement, as well as provide a liaison for critical social resources.

“I'm very proud of how the center will work with the police department, because there are sometimes issues that need to be resolved and need some type of public safety interface,” Councilman Crain said. “It may not all be criminal. It may be working with our crisis intervention team to solve those problems and get further care, or maybe through our homeless network, like the Hope Team, with the city providing those services, or at least understanding where to go to get those services.”

Both Councilman Crain and Charbonnet say the clinic and its all-encompassing, wraparound approach to services and resources will be transformational for the community. 

“It will take some time, but you can see real change happening in the area,” Councilman Crain said. “All of these activities I just look at as our bricks in the rebuilding of an area, and this health care center is a major brick in the foundation of that change.”