Kids Health Matters: Community Health and Literacy Center

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An innovation designed to make whole families healthier is now taking shape in the city of Philadelphia.

It's taking place at Broad and Morris Streets in South Philadelphia.

There's a lot of history on that block.

For 70 years, it was dominated by the Southern Home for Destitute Children. After 1960, a branch of the Free Library was there.

Now it's being reborn in a unique venture, incorporating a city health center, outpatient offices for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a Free Library branch and a city rec center.

The goal is to improve the health of the whole community.

Dr. Lisa Biggs of Children's Hospital says, "We always know you cannot treat a child without thinking about what's happening in the family."

Dr. Biggs, who is overseeing the hospital side of the project says, the 4 partners will work on their own, but will also join forces for issues which cross generations, like healthy eating and smoking - both helping adults to stop and preventing kids from starting.

She says that synergy should make it easier for families to follow up on their doctor's advice, "having everybody work together, instead of everybody being slioed and sending people out to do things on their own."

At the Free Library, Tiffany Nardella says visitors are always hungry for health and medical information, especially those just diagnosed with a problem.

"How does this disease progress? Or, what can I expect? What are some options? Or, what kind of things should I be eating or not eating?" said Nardella.

A survey showed residents around the new branch are especially interested in issues like these. She plans to go further with a computer lab for teaching.

"You know, maybe like a Health 101 session, and then teach classes on specific diseases and illnesses," added Nardella.

There will be two public meeting rooms for in-person sessions with hospital or health department experts.

Nardella says, "I can't wait for this building to be open."

But the partners will have to wait. The building isn't due to open until December.

Until then, they're still very busy, creating fresh ways they can work together.