Community Visioning Fills a Void in Downtown Dubuque

For Chiquitta Carroll, a self-employed professional hair stylist in Dubuque, finding affordable and convenient health care was a challenge. Public transportation limited her choice of providers and as a mother of four, she had additional concerns. “It’s hard to find doctors who are good with kids,” says Chiquitta.

All that changed in 2007 when the Crescent Community Health Center opened near her home in the Washington Neighborhood. Dedicated to providing high-quality and affordable health care, Crescent serves uninsured patients with a sliding fee scale and provides discounts based on household income and size.

According to Chiquitta, the center’s outstanding quality of care is what makes it really special. “The doctors and dentists are great people and very knowledgeable,” she says. “They are flexible and get you in for emergencies. It’s an amazing establishment.”

The ENVIS10N 2010 community visioning process identified the need for a community health center in 2005. In partnership with the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, the Community Foundation facilitated ENVIS10N 2010 with a goal to encourage community members to gather and brainstorm ideas for the next 10 great projects that would move Dubuque forward. Community members submitted more than 2,300 ideas in total.

The idea for Crescent was born from this community visioning process, however, it would not have become a reality without the generosity of the Schmid family, which quickly stepped in to fund the cause. Their $1.3 million gift created an endowment that will provide annual operating funds for the center for years to come.

Schmid family members Janet Rhomberg and Mary Schmid say they feel grateful that they are able to share their blessings. “There is such a great need for affordable health care in our community,” says Janet. “This is a wonderful facility that is providing a much needed service.”

“I’ve never had to think twice about calling a doctor for my children,” adds Mary. “When you realize there are people who don’t have that option, it makes you want to do what you can to help.”

Since opening, Crescent has made a big impact on the health of residents in downtown Dubuque. In 2017 alone, Crescent served 6,437 patients, a record high, through more than 18,000 clinic visits.