COVID-19 creates new challenges for raising funds
By ALDONA BIRD
Since 1984, members of the Morgantown community have had access to health care, even if they do not have access to health care.
Laura Jones, executive director of Milan Puskar Health Right, said that in the ’80s a group of concerned citizens noticed people used the emergency room for primary care, because they had nowhere else to go.
To address this problem and offer primary care to those who couldn’t afford it, these citizens started a free health clinic as a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
At first, “They saw people as walk-ins, there were no scheduled appointments,” Jones said. With fundraising and hard-working volunteers, the organization grew, over the decades, into a full scale primary care facility, which now bills Medicaid in addition to treating low-income patients who don’t have insurance, at no cost.
The Milan Puskar Health Right clinic, on Spruce Street in downtown Morgantown, offers a variety of services.
“Primary care is our main focus, and we have a lot of specialty programs that we do,” said Emily Baldwin, clinical coordinator and harm reduction nurse at Health Right.
In addition to primary care, Baldwin said they operate a vision clinic, full harm reduction, Hep C treatment clinic, pediatric care for those who don’t qualify for CHIP and limited dental services for emergency extraction referrals.
Services have grown to include mental health care and management of Friendship House, located around the corner from the clinic. Last November, Health Right opened a Friendship House in Fairmont, which is currently closed due to coronavirus concerns.
During regular operation, these Friendship Houses offer classes in art, gardening, choir and other subjects, resources and group meetings to support recovery for those suffering from mental health concerns and substance misuse.
This past winter Health Right opened a space for those without a warm home in which to spend the night, as an overflow shelter when Bartlett Housing Solutions was at capacity.
In 2015, Health Right started a harm reduction program.
“We served over 1,600 people who are using drugs and need clean supplies in order to prevent HIV and Hep C,” Jones said. “We provide Narcan for overdoses and lots of other support services to people in an effort to help them get stabilized and help them move toward recovery.”
Harm reduction services are offered twice a week in Morgantown, and Jones said typically
60-80 people go each day. They are also offering these services in Preston and Upshur counties, and mentoring Randolph County to establish a similar program.
Those who want information on times and location for services should check Milan Puskar Health Right’s Facebook page, or call 304-292-8234. Jones said they don’t widely publish that information, because “we try to make things as anonymous as possible.”
The health clinic part of Health Right treats about 4,000 patients annually. Its pharmacy fills prescriptions, often for chronic illnesses.
“We have a number of folks who actually use our charitable clinic pharmacy as their pharmacy because they don’t have medication without it,” Jones said.
Treatment starts with an income screening, if a patient does not have Medicaid, to determine eligibility. “They have to have Medicaid, then they can be seen here,” Jones said. “If they don’t have Medicaid, their income has to be at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.”
“It takes a lot of money to do what we do,” Jones said. Community fundraising and charitable donations are essential to the clinic’s operations. Milan Puskar Health Right also has a line in the West Virginia State budget, is supported by the Monongalia County Commission, United Way of Monongalia, Preston, Marion and Tucker Counties, and puts together a patchwork of grants.
One thing they don’t spend finances on is hiring doctors.
“All of our physicians are volunteers,” Jones said, adding that about 15 (mostly specialty care) physicians volunteer, in addition to psychiatrists who volunteer regularly.
Baldwin herself is a registered nurse, and they also employ two nurse practitioners, two medical assistants, a licensed practical nurse and front office staff. Jones said they also have counselors and other social workers on staff.
“We are a community-supported clinic,” Jones said. “It takes our community to help provide the services, and our community has stepped up to the plate time and time again to help get us to where we are.”
The coronavirus crisis has presented clinics with additional challenges.
Jones said especially now with coronavirus spreading, clinic staff try to do entry and other screenings via phone, to limit contact.
They are also trying to limit wait times, and have removed chairs from the waiting area so patients who do have a wait sit at least six feet apart. Jones said they are encouraging symptomatic people to stay home, unless they have trouble breathing — in which case they should proceed to a hospital emergency department.
Additional efforts to limit contact for workers and patients include staff working from home on certain days.
Baldwin said they are maintaining necessary scheduled appointments and medication refills, but canceling non-essential appointments. She said they are also screening people at the door.
Facing the challenges of limiting person-to-person contact while providing services, Jones said Health Right also faces shortages of supplies such as batteries, masks, hand sanitizer and wipes due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The coronavirus crisis has amplified the on-going challenge of funding. Jones said Health Right cancelled its annual fundraiser, Spring Celebration — a wine and jazz event that usually brings $30,000 to the organization.
Jones said they are seeking and hoping for community donations to fill the budget gap the cancellation leaves.
With continued community support, Jones said the clinics are staying open through the coronavirus outbreak, because so many patients rely on Milan Puskar Health Right.
“We don’t feel like we can just shut the door and say come back when this is over,” Jones said.
“We try to cater to the most vulnerable population in our area,” Baldwin said. “That’s why we’re here — to help people who need our help. And we will continue doing that through this as long as possible.”
Through the pandemic and after, Jones said, “we are focused on maintaining what we have right now, and we’re focused on expanding some of our existing programs.”
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