IMC and St. Charles Community Health Center team up to aid Katrina survivors in four parishes outside New Orleans

SANTA MONICA, CA, September 30, 2005–International Medical Corps and St. Charles Community Health Center are pooling resources to provide urgent medical care to a community supporting more than 20,000 evacuees in Luling—20 miles upriver from New Orleans. IMC is providing a team of nurses specializing in primary health care needs; a psychiatrist to address mental health concerns; and critically-needed medical supplies, as necessary.

St. Charles Community Health Center is a federally-funded community health clinic serving the now devastated parishes of St. Charles, St. Bernard, Jefferson Orleans and Plaquemines. IMC is an international humanitarian relief and development organization providing services in 20 countries worldwide; this is the first time in its 21-year history that IMC has responded to a domestic disaster.

IMC will help meet urgent staffing needs at the clinic, as existing volunteers return home to their families and local practices. The clinic offers walk-in urgent care, primary health care, and mental health support.

St. Charles Community Health Center is currently seeing up to 500 patients per day. Services offered by the Health Center include:

* Immunizations;
* Pediatric health care;
* Adult health care (such as treatment for diabetes or asthma);
* Behavioral health care (including stress disorders); and
* Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program.

In addition to supplying nurses, IMC will support local triage efforts.

IMC and St. Charles will also operate two mobile medical units to provide primary health care outreach services to these communities.

Return to News Summary