2018 CIIP Program Book CIIP Booklet 2018 | Page 25

Community Partner: Esperanza Center Health Services​
Intern: Valeria Hernández
Site Supervisor: Bibi Hackshaw
What is Esperanza Center?
Our bilingual staff works with Hispanic and other immigrants to provide health care,
social services, referrals, employment counseling, English as a Second Language (ESL)
classes, and Immigration Legal Service (ILS).​
There are many bases to cover when moving into a new country. I myself had just
turned 18 when I moved into the United States and had to figure out the ins and outs
of adulthood while integrating myself into a new culture. At the same time, however,
many doors opened for me, a privilege that is reserved to a select number and type of
migrants. For some, the only doors opening are those of organizations like Esperanza
Center, which means a lot of bases have to be covered by one non-profit at a time.
Yet, just as “esperanza” means hope in Spanish, this center has been doing an amaz-
ing job at being a one-stop shop for those that have otherwise not been so warmly
welcomed. Even though my placement was in the health clinic, I soon learned about
the many other services we could refer patients to, including legal and social services,
ESL classes, and employment counseling.
On a typical day, after dozens of friendly “buenos días” from the 9 AM rain-or-shine
line at the center’s entrance, I would start my mornings at the front desk, intaking pa-
tients and interviewing them for eligibility. Here, “eligibility” counter-intuitively meant
making sure they weren’t eligible for health insurance, thus focusing our resources on
those that haven’t received any yet. I would then hear about their symptoms, medical
and life stories alike to prepare them to be seen by the health providers. When the
day wound down, I would help patients in need of specialty care navigate the complex
healthcare system which Hopkins has tried to make more accessible through the TAP
program, providing free services to patients living within ten zip codes.
Being an intern at the health clinic thus allowed me to learn both about the workings
and, pardon my French, the not-workings of the American healthcare system. It also
taught me some medical diagnostic basics and provided hands-on experience that
confirmed my passion for the field. But I think that most importantly, it pushed me to
make daily connections and build relationships on trust, the power of vulnerability, and
the strength of empathy. I have been inspired by the resilience of both our staff and
our patients and look forward to integrating this esperanza into my next semester.
• Triage patients by hearing past medical history
and current symptoms
• Assist nurse practitioners while they perform med-
ical procedures such as electrocardiography, ear
lavage, and stitches removal
• Intake patients, interview for service eligibility, and
discharge
• Refer patients to other resources and coordinate
specialty care for patients qualifying for the Johns
Hopkins TAP program
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