Trunk-or-Treat Fun with a Focus on Family: Cook Children's Health Plan Hosts Community Resource Fair

By Eline Wiggins. Photos by Tom Riehm.

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.