PRIMARY CARE

Groups team up to provide treatment
Sunday, January 15, 2006
By Anita Hymel
Contributing writer

The St. Charles Community Health Center and the United Way of St. Charles have combined efforts to bring primary care professionals and medical services to people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

The two agencies recently secured a new medical van, which will travel to various locations in the New Orleans area to assist people.

"Praise the Lord," Ida Woodfork said as she watched the mobile unit arrive last month for its first visit at the Jewish Community Center in New Orleans.

Woodfork, who wanted a tetanus shot, was cleaning her eastern New Orleans home and preparing to rebuild. "I will stay in the city," she said. "This is home."

Salud Para La Gente Inc., a migrant health center near San Jose, Calif., provided the medical unit. Staffing is provided by International Medical Corps.

The medical program is funded by a $200,000 grant from the United Way of America presented to the United Way of St. Charles.

Mark Keiser, CEO of St. Charles Community Health Center, said the van is a great addition to the services already being provided to hurricane victims.

"We've been operating an urgent care facility since Sept. 5 and have served thousands of evacuated and displaced persons regardless of their ability to pay," Keiser said. "Now we will also operate the new mobile medical unit, which we expect to serve approximately 100 people a day in the months ahead."

Free health services and some prescription medications will be available, Keiser said.

Dr. Sarah Torres of California was among more than 20 volunteers who came to New Orleans last month to staff the unit.

"It's been incredible, being able to help so many people," Torres said.

When volunteers are unavailable, the unit is staffed by St. Charles Community Health Center.

The United Way grant will fund services through February.

The United Way of St. Charles is searching for money to operate the van after February.

If financing is found, the mobile unit will become a regular resource of the St. Charles Community Health Center and will be used to deliver primary care and public health services throughout St. Charles Parish and possibly neighboring communities.

The St. Charles Parish Emergency Operations Center recently reported that about 17,000 displaced residents from surrounding parishes are living in St. Charles, with about 5,000 expected to continue to live in St. Charles long-term.

The mobile medical unit is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center, 5342 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans and each Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Lakeview at St. Dominic's Church and School on Harrison Avenue.

More locations may be added.

Jara Roux, manager of administration and finance for the United Way of St. Charles, said the agency is excited about being able to deliver medical services to people in need.

"Our ability to do so through this grant shows the value of the United Way structure," Roux said. "A system was already in place to receive donations and make grants to communities in desperate need. United Way of St. Charles and the St. Charles Community Health Center worked together to apply for the grant; just look what we can do when we align our efforts."

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