History
UHPhealth (formerly United Health Partners) is a 501(c) (3) organization founded by Bernice Koko in 2015. UHPhealth is dedicated to promoting healthy living among less privileged populations through health education, services, training and partnerships. The first office on Harwin and Gessner, connected under-served communities with affordable health care access and provided classes in economic empowerment, healthy environments, community engagement and social stability.
Today UHPhealth is focused on healthcare services, health case management and advocacy projects that remove social determinants. UHPhealth aims to build healthy communities and achieve health equity for everyone they serve. With a current staff of seven, UHPhealth reaches more than 2,500 clients each year. They receive no government funding and are supported by a small group funders including St. John the Divine and St. Martin Episcopal
Churches, the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, United Way, and a dedicated group of individuals. In 2019 UHPhealth received a Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund grant allowing them to coordinate a dental cleaning program and in 2020 Behavioral Health services were launched.
Ms. Koko quickly learned that the health services provided by low-cost clinics still proved to be cost prohibitive for her clients and as a result, affordable healthcare quickly became her main focus. In 2016 the Northwest Houston Clinic opened at White Oak Bayou Shopping Center with a goal to provide low-cost vaccinations (provided by Texas Vaccines for Children) required for school enrollment and health education including annual check-ups. In December 2017 UHPhealth assumed operations of the Heart to Heart International Harvey response project in East Harris County with the opening of a pop-up clinic for 90 days at Casa de Amour de Restoration. The clinic was immensely successful and St. John the Divine and St. Martin Episcopal Churches agreed to provide funding for the East Clinic location, allowing UHP to continue services for another year.
