By Monica Simmons
Communications Coordinator
In 1973, Niki Richardson moved to Austin, pregnant with her second child. She searched for a doctor’s office that would accept a patient who planned an at-home birth. At the time, less than 3% of births in the U.S. occurred outside of a hospital, and doctors were unfamiliar with the practice. After several rejections, she found People’s Community Clinic, whose doctors and nurses wanted to support her in a home birth.
“I met Phil Zyblot, MD, Mary Barnett, CNM, Ken Blair, MD, Marie Draudt, and so many more who gave me great prenatal care when other clinics had immediately said ‘no, can’t help you,’” Niki said.
After a happy at-home birth, Niki set out to establish a collective of midwives. That collective, eventually known as Austin Lay Midwives, would become the first in Austin. People’s Community Clinic was their go-to clinic for prenatal care.
“People’s support was invaluable in helping us establish a strong home birth option in Austin in the early 70’s,” Niki said. “Without People’s, our mothers would’ve had a very difficult time finding a doctor willing to care for them.”
Today, as always, People’s care is focused on empowering patients and enabling them to take charge of their own health.
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This year is BIG for People’s Community Clinic. In 2020, People’s marks 50 years of providing affordable, accessible health care to Central Texans in need. That’s 50 years of serving Central Texas communities with dignity and respect; 50 years of collaborating with other area non-profits for integrative care; 50 years of working for #healthequity and #affordablecare in Central Texas. #Peoples50for50. https://www.austinpcc.org/make-a-gift/