Your body changes through every season of life and having a healthcare team that can support you at every milestone makes all the difference. At Community Health Centers of South Central Texas (CHCSCT), we specialize in compassionate, personalized care built around your health goals and personal story.
With advanced clinical expertise and dedicated providers, including some who have served our local families for over three decades, we are here to give you care you can trust. Here is a look at what to expect across the years, along with the key screenings that help protect your health at every step of the way:
In Your 20s: Laying a Healthy Foundation
Your 20s are all about establishing a relationship with a healthcare team you trust, getting baseline checks, and taking control of your reproductive health.
- Annual Well-Woman Exam: A comprehensive physical check-up, vital signs, weight check, and a comfortable space to discuss any questions or concerns.
- Cervical Cancer Screening (Pap Smear) Recommended starting at age 21. A Pap smear checks for abnormal cell changes on the cervix and is typically repeated every 3 years if results are normal.
- Clinical Breast Exams: Performed during your annual exam to establish what is normal for you and spot subtle changes early.
- STI/STD Testing: Routine screenings for sexually active women under 25 or anyone with new or multiple partners to protect long-term fertility and peace of mind.
- Family Planning & Contraception: Personalized guidance on birth control options tailored to your plans—whether you’re choosing contraception, adjusting a prescription, or planning a future pregnancy.
- Bloodwork & Labs: Regular checks for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar (diabetes), and thyroid function.
In Your 30s: Building Health & Growing Families
In your 30s, screening guidelines evolve, and preventative care often overlaps with family planning, career demands, or prenatal care.
- Cervical Cancer + HPV Co-Testing: Starting at age 30, Pap smears are combined with HPV co-testing every 5 years to monitor cervical health even more thoroughly.
- Comprehensive Bloodwork & Labs: Regular checks for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar (diabetes screening), and thyroid function to keep your metabolic health on track.
- Breast Health Awareness: Continued annual clinical breast exams and ongoing monitoring of personal or family health history.
- Mental Health Support: Navigating busy life stages, postpartum changes, or everyday stress with integrated mental health support.
Pregnancy, Postpartum & Expanded Maternal Care in Central Texas!
If you are pregnant or planning to conceive, receiving early and consistent care protects both you and your baby. Across rural Texas, access to maternal care is becoming increasingly limited, with nearly half of Texas counties classified as maternity care deserts. To bridge this gap, CHCSCT received a grant to expand maternal health services at our Luling Community Health Center and Lockhart Family Practice Center.
This initiative brings enhanced prenatal care, routine in-house ultrasounds, postpartum checkups, and bilingual support right to Caldwell and surrounding counties.
“When a mother gets the care she needs, her whole family is stronger,” said Rafael De La Paz, CEO of CHCSCT. “This award allows us to expand access to the kind of care every woman deserves — right here in her community.”
In Your 40s: Early Detection & Advanced Care
Entering your 40s brings a shift toward proactive care, catching subtle health changes long before they turn into major concerns.
- Mammograms: Annual or biennial screening mammograms typically begin at age 40 (or earlier if you have a personal or family history of breast cancer).
- Advanced Cervical Care: If a Pap smear ever comes back with abnormal cells, specialized follow-up procedures—like colposcopies and LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure: a procedure to remove abnormal or precancerous areas of the cervix) —are provided right at our local clinics so you don’t have to travel to a distant medical center.
- Colorectal Cancer Screening: CDC guidelines now recommend beginning routine colorectal cancer screenings (such as home stool tests or colonoscopy referrals) starting at age 45.
- Ongoing Lab Panels: Continued regular checks for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and thyroid function.
In Your 50s & Beyond: Body Longevity
As you navigate menopause and beyond, routine screenings focus on maintaining bone, heart, and metabolic strength so you can enjoy vibrant, long-term health.
- Mammograms & Cervical Screenings: Continued routine mammograms and cervical screenings based on your health history. (Cervical screenings may stop after age 65 if prior results have been consistently clear).
- Colorectal Screening Monitoring: Ongoing screenings through age 75.
- Whole-Person Care: Ongoing wellness checks and chronic care management for heart, joint, and metabolic health.
An annual Well-Woman exam is essential because it gives your provider dedicated time to evaluate your evolving needs as a whole and seamlessly connect you to trusted outside partners whenever specialized care is needed. Patients feel that personalized touch every day in our clinics:
“I see Patrick Caldwell for OB/GYN services. I love her, and am so glad she is at our clinic. As someone entering peri-menopause, she has been a great encouragement. She reminds me to be patient, while also telling me not to hesitate to contact her if the more natural approaches stop working for me. I trust her immensely.” — Gonzales Patient, Christine M; ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Google Review
Having cared for generations of local families, Nurse Patrick knows firsthand how a single visit can open the door to complete, connected care both inside our community health centers and out in the community.
“A client may come in for one service, but we’re able to accommodate them and navigate them throughout the system through primary care, dental services, mental health, and preventative services.”
Meet Nurse Patrick Caldwell — 31 Years of Service, Heart, and Care
If you walk into one of our clinics, you’ll likely see a familiar, welcoming smile: Patrick Caldwell, WHNP. She is the longest-tenured staff member at CHCSCT, having served local families for over 31 years. To the generations of patients who see her, she is a trusted neighbor, an advocate, and a rural healthcare pioneer.
Rooted in Community
Nurse Patrick grew up in a tiny rural town in Arkansas—a place so small, she jokes, “it’s probably not even on the map yet.” Raised in a close-knit farming family where neighbors looked out for one another, she learned early on the power of community care.
“Poverty was there, but the whole community was in the same situation,” Nurse Patrick reflects. “Families took care of one another. Neighbors—it took a whole neighborhood to raise children. I’ve always been drawn to caring for other people. That was just in my upbringing.”
After marrying her husband, his work brought them to Texas. Nurse Patrick joined CHCSCT first as an LVN, worked her way up to an RN and Director of Nursing, and eventually became the very first Nurse Practitioner in Gonzales.
“When I started out getting my well-woman exams at a health center as a young woman, I was leery of asking questions I was concerned about,” she remembers. “So I said, ‘You know, I want to go into this profession and have patients be very open with me and be able to conversate with anything, any questions they wanted to ask.'”
Pioneering Rural Care & Advanced Services
Over three decades, Nurse Patrick has seen rural healthcare evolve and innovate. She remembers when the clinic operated out of an old two-story bank building, putting patients on a 3-person elevator while staff ran up the stairs to meet them on the second floor.
Today, as a certified colposcopist specializing in advanced cervical care, she performs specialized procedures like LEEP on-site. This saves local women from having to take off work and travel to major cities like Austin or San Antonio.
“The technology has evolved into rural areas, and that’s a great thing,” shares Nurse Patrick. “I went and got certification in LEEPs, so now I’m able to do precancerous cells removals for a lot of clients. And that’s a big enjoyment for me to know that I have helped someone to prevent cancer.”
A Legacy Across Generations
For Nurse Patrick, care is about listening with empathy and building bonds that last a lifetime. She recalls helping treat a pregnant patient 20+ years ago who faced a complex medical condition:
“I worked closely with a provider to care for a woman that had a large condyloma… She was pregnant at the time, and we had never seen anything like this before. The provider paid for her medication out of his pocket because the patient couldn’t afford it. She did deliver, and she has a grown son, and he has a child also now. Today, that client is still coming to me. I’m still seeing her… He brings his child here for immunizations and his well-child checkup.
It brings tears to my eyes to know that we helped someone that probably would have been turned away or would have traveled far to get those types of services… I’ve seen the grandparents, the parents, and now I’m serving the third generation.”
When asked what keeps her so deeply committed to her patients after more than three decades, Nurse Patrick doesn’t point to certifications or career milestones, she points to her faith and her deep love for the people she serves.
“What makes me feel dedicated to the service is I’m very religious, and my prayer daily coming through the doors is: ‘God, anoint my hands, my mind, and my tongue that I may be a help to Your people.’ … My true heart is here within this community.”
Meet The OB/GYN & Primary Care Team
Nurse Patrick works alongside an extraordinary team of passionate OB/GYN and Primary Care providers across our clinics who share the same mission: providing compassionate, accessible, high-quality care to every patient who walks through our doors.
Angela Dawn Bludau, RN, WHCNP, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner
“I love the patients and the community we serve.”
Nurse Angie’s remarkable journey in women’s health started in labor and delivery and working in STD and birth control clinics. When she moved to Victoria, Texas, she saw a clear need for healthcare providers willing to serve Medicaid and uninsured patients in the area. Motivated to make a difference, Angela took on the challenge of becoming a Nurse Practitioner specializing in women’s health—all while raising a six-week-old baby at the time. Today, Angela stands proud as a dedicated WHNP providing compassionate care in Victoria.
Gus Zamora, MD, Physician, OB/GYN & Primary Care
“My focus: Healthy moms, healthy babies, and compassionate care for every patient.”
Dr. Gus Zamora cares for women through every stage and age, from annual exams and family planning to prenatal care and delivery. He pairs attentive listening with clear, evidence-based guidance so patients feel informed, respected, and fully supported throughout their healthcare journey.
Theodore Held, M.D., MPH , Doctor of Medicine, OB/GYN & Primary Care
“I love the mission we have to serve all patients regardless of their needs, situation, or insurance status.”
Dr. Theodore Held believes that patient care is truly a partnership. He works closely with patients to ensure their personal health goals remain the top priority, building personalized care plans together every step of the way.
Uninsured or Need Financial Assistance? We’re Here to Help!
“We try to meet the patients where they are at all needs, whether they’re insured, non-insured, or have little funding. We have a lot of services that they can qualify for.” — Nurse Patrick
Need affordable healthcare services for yourself or your family? CHCSCT offers comprehensive medical, dental, and mental health services across 8 convenient clinic locations in Central Texas.
Our specialized Eligibility Team is dedicated to helping you find a way to pay for the care you need. Whether you are uninsured, underinsured, or looking for supplemental coverage, our team will guide you through qualifying for programs like:
- Sliding Fee Discount Program
- Family Planning Program
- Healthy Texas Women
- Your Texas Benefits: Medicaid and CHIP
📞 Call our Eligibility Phone Line today at 830-203-6500 or stop by any of our clinics!
Schedule Your Visit Today
Whether you are due for routine screenings, planning to grow your family, or seeking supportive preventative care, CHCSCT is here to walk alongside you every step of the way, regardless of your insurance status or ability to pay.
📞 Call us to schedule an appointment: 1-800-343-1577 or learn more about our Women’s Health services here.
Visit a Community Health Center Near You
- Bastrop – 275 Jackson Street, Bastrop, TX 78602
- Elgin – 711 W 10th Street, Elgin, TX 78621
- Gonzales – 228 Saint George Street, Gonzales, TX 78629
- Lockhart – 2060 S. Colorado Street, Lockhart, TX 78644
- Luling – 111 South Laurel Avenue, Luling, TX 78648
- Seguin – 1104 Jefferson Avenue, Seguin, TX 78155
- Victoria – 4206 Retama Circle, Victoria, TX 77901
Sources:
-
American Cancer Society. (2020). Colorectal cancer screening guidelines. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/acs-recommendations.html
-
American Cancer Society. (2021). Treating cervical precancers. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/cervical-cancer/treating/precancerous-lesions.html
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). What is colorectal cancer screening? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/colorectal-cancer/screening/index.html
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 20). What is breast cancer screening? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/screening/index.html
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, July 22). Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines: Anogenital warts (Condylomata acuminata). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/anogenital-warts.htm
-
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2018). Screening for cervical cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA, 320(7), 674–686. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.10897
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, September 16). What is breast cancer screening? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/screening/index.html
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, October 2). Uterine cancer facts and symptoms. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/uterine/index.htm
