The Council for Advancement of Social Service and Education was formed in 1996 for the purpose of providing dental health care to the underserved patients of Northwest Louisiana. The organization functioned under the dba of CASSE Dental Health Institute and operated as a 501(c)3 non-profit. In addition to offering dental services, CASSE developed a certified dental assisting program through LSUS, Dept. of Continuing Education, to provide a trained dental health workforce.
In 2004, CASSE was approached by Dr. Alfred Hathorn, a local pediatrician, to develop a community health clinic in DeSoto parish to serve infants and children. CASSE leased and remodeled a building to serve as a health center and in January, 2005, CASSE filed an application with the State of Louisiana, Department of Health, to become a Rural Health Clinic. CASSE continued to provide pediatrics, dentistry, Internal medicine and behavioral health services to the communities of DeSoto Parish as a rural health clinic until 2010. At that time, CASSE filed an application with the U.S. Department of Human Resource and Services Administration to become a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike. CASSE was approved and functioned as a Look-Alike until November 2013, when the health center was awarded 330 grant funding to become a fully funded Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Upon receipt of the grant funding CASSE expanded the health center in Mansfield to include an expansion project in Shreveport to provide maternal and child health services. In 2014, the Shreveport clinic expanded services to include dental care for both adults and children as well as behavioral health. In August 2016, HRSA approved funding for a new health center in Stonewall, LA to offer family medicine, pediatrics and behavioral health. In the fall of the same year, HRSA approved an expansion site for Women’s Health in Bossier City. In 2020, CASSE was awarded a new site for family practice located at 1560 Irving Place in Shreveport and a new site for pediatrics at 2120 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Suites K & L.
Today, CASSE operates 5 health centers and a mobile unit that serves the community of Northwest Louisiana. To accomplish their mission, CASSE collaborates with a wide variety of like-minded organizations, including state entities, community organizations and hospital health systems to increase access and decrease disparities for the underserved.
In 2004, CASSE was approached by Dr. Alfred Hathorn, a local pediatrician, to develop a community health clinic in DeSoto parish to serve infants and children. CASSE leased and remodeled a building to serve as a health center and in January, 2005, CASSE filed an application with the State of Louisiana, Department of Health, to become a Rural Health Clinic. CASSE continued to provide pediatrics, dentistry, Internal medicine and behavioral health services to the communities of DeSoto Parish as a rural health clinic until 2010. At that time, CASSE filed an application with the U.S. Department of Human Resource and Services Administration to become a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike. CASSE was approved and functioned as a Look-Alike until November 2013, when the health center was awarded 330 grant funding to become a fully funded Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Upon receipt of the grant funding CASSE expanded the health center in Mansfield to include an expansion project in Shreveport to provide maternal and child health services. In 2014, the Shreveport clinic expanded services to include dental care for both adults and children as well as behavioral health. In August 2016, HRSA approved funding for a new health center in Stonewall, LA to offer family medicine, pediatrics and behavioral health. In the fall of the same year, HRSA approved an expansion site for Women’s Health in Bossier City. In 2020, CASSE was awarded a new site for family practice located at 1560 Irving Place in Shreveport and a new site for pediatrics at 2120 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Suites K & L.
Today, CASSE operates 5 health centers and a mobile unit that serves the community of Northwest Louisiana. To accomplish their mission, CASSE collaborates with a wide variety of like-minded organizations, including state entities, community organizations and hospital health systems to increase access and decrease disparities for the underserved.