Third-Year Anniversary of the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar

Three years ago on March 25, the PHMC Public Health Campus on Cedar was launched by PHMC and its coalition partners, including Penn Medicine, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. Together, we’ve worked toward our vision of providing integrated health care and social services to the West and Southwest Philadelphia neighborhoods while becoming a part of these communities.

As the Campus continues to grow and expand, several important developments and initiatives have happened in its first three years. Below are a few key highlights.

  • The PHMC Health Center on Cedar, a Federally Qualified Health Center and part of PHMC’s Health Network, opened its doors in November 2021. It currently offers primary and preventive care to adults and children.
  • Penn Medicine opened its Crisis Response Center in September 2023. The center offers care for patients experiencing mental health or substance use emergencies. Penn Medicine also operates the on-site Emergency Department and provides inpatient psychiatry, inpatient detoxification, and psychiatric consultation.
  • PHMC subsidiary The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia opened its Hospice Inpatient Unit in August 2023. The unit provides 24/7 care and monitoring to terminally ill patients. It also offers support for patients’ families, including respite services for caregiver relief, social and spiritual guidance, and private space for families to spend time together.
  • PHMC Medical Respite on Cedar opened in November 2023. The state-of-the-art facility provides post-acute medical care for individuals experiencing homelessness who are discharged from a hospital and require additional medical care to recover from a physical illness, surgery or injury.
  • PHMC Dental opened in January 2024 as an expansion of the services offered by the PHMC Health Center on Cedar. Staffed by predoctoral students, dental residents and supervising faculty dentists from Penn Dental Medicine, it offers general, emergency, and pediatric dentistry.
  • Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) opened its Behavioral Health & Crisis Response Center in February 2024. The center provides care and support for children and teens with acute mental and behavioral health needs that require inpatient treatment.