99% of families who call Samaritan House home each year find and retain permanent housing and do not return to the shelter system. This is thanks to comprehensive case management, which expanded last year when a medical clinic on the second floor opened for families.
For many of them, the Every Child Pediatrics Clinic @ Samaritan House is their first chance to receive medicine and specialized treatment for their children, many of whom suffer from challenging medical conditions.
Zuleika is a single mother who took the radical step to seek asylum in the United States to find care for her 11-year-old daughter Nathaly, who lives with cerebral palsy. Their home country of Venezuela has few resources for Nathaly, who wants to live a healthy and happy life despite her diagnosis. The trek from Central America is extremely difficult for everyone who makes the journey, especially those with disabilities. But as her child’s biggest advocate, Zuleika did whatever it took to give Nathaly the life she deserves.
The two first visited the clinic a few months ago. After weeks of a tumultuous trip, the compassionate shelter, complete with a state-of-the-art pediatric clinic, which is believed to be the first clinic of its kind in the nation, was a welcome site.
For the last 11 years, Zuleika had been her daughter’s full-time caregiver, so she knew exactly what kind of care Nathaly needed and what to ask of the clinic’s care team. Nathaly also suffers from epilepsy as part of her condition and was consistently having daily seizures after arriving in the U.S. The medical providers from Every Child Pediatrics immediately prescribed her medication to help minimize the seizures and also set her up with appointments with specialty clinics at Children’s Hospital Colorado, which specialize in caring for children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
Early in their stay at Samaritan House, the clinic staff discovered that Nathaly was not gaining sufficient weight after losing so much during her travels to the United States. In partnership with the Every Child Pediatrics providers and staff, Samaritan House was able to put Nathaly on a nutritional supplementation plan and support her mom to ensure Nathaly was growing appropriately.
In late May, Nathaly went swimming in a pool for the first time in her life. Thanks to the occupational and physical therapies and specialists the clinic connected her with, in addition to the school Samaritan House helped her enroll in, she was able to experience the joys of summer with her classmates with conditions similar to hers. With tears in her eyes, Zuleika shared that she’d felt like they’d be okay. As for Nathaly, she smiled and sang the whole car ride home.
Sarah Schaller is the clinic’s coordinator and the first face many families see when they come to Every Child Pediatric clinic.
“This clinic has surpassed our expectations as to how needed it was. It really has become a life-changing resource for our families,” she said. “It’s just incredible to know that we are making an impact in their lives, one kiddo at a time.”
The clinic is open to families every Tuesday and Thursday. Since its launch last March, children from Samaritan House and Mullen Home, a family shelter that opened in December 2024 and is operated by Catholic Charities, have received comprehensive primary medical care, behavioral health services, vaccinations, early intervention care and supplemental care.
Early on, the clinic team realized they had the time and capacity to see other children experiencing homelessness, in addition to those at Samaritan House and Mullen Home. Their doors are now open to other children in the greater Denver community, allowing them to meet more needs and make a greater impact.
After opening the clinic, a slew of other concerns came to light that the pediatric providers were unable to address directly, such as dental caries, lack of glasses and access to vision services, and more. Samaritan House has since partnered with other organizations like Deserving Dental for on-site dental cleanings and exams and EyeLoveCare for mobile vision exams and glasses. These services have been made available not only for the children at Samaritan House but also for the adult residents.
Truth is, when you’re struggling to put food on the table and a roof over your family’s heads, scheduling vaccinations, visiting the doctor for well-baby exams and tackling larger medical challenges are simply not possible for many parents.
Costs are high, and the fear of the unknown prevents many of our children on the margins from receiving medical care. However, Every Child Pediatrics is committed to caring for children and their families, no matter their insurance status or ability to pay. Catholic Charities and Every Child Pediatrics make sure that the children who call Samaritan House home have the care they deserve during their time at Samaritan House and beyond, as they can continue receiving medical care from one of the many other Every Child Pediatrics Denver metro locations.
