Susan McDaniel Havre Daily News smcdaniel@havredailynews.com
The staff at Bullhook Clinic may yet see the light at the end of the tunnel. Just as they were putting the finishing touches on a Rural Health Care grant application that was due Oct. 18, they were informed of another grant that had just become available. The new grant will allow the clinic to become a designated Community Health Center. When a clinic is designated, it gets a set amount of funding each year without entering a competitive process. It has to reapply each year, but only to prove need and to show that its is meeting performance goals. Due Dec. 6, the clinic was “not expecting this grant,” clinic spokeswoman Pam Burke said. “This was a nice surprise but it means a lot of work between now and Dec. 6,” Burke said. The information about the grant was released on Oct. 6, but they did not hear about it until the “Tuesday after.” The new grant has a cap on funding levels of $650,000. There is no guarantee of that full amount being awarded; it Can be in any amount up to that point. From Dec. 19 through the end of September, the clinic served 574 unduplicated patients. “That means there are 574 different patient files,” said Burke. The percentages of patients seen by the clinic during that time are: newborn through 12 years of age 16 percent; teens aged 13-17 11 percent; adults 18-64 63 percent; and over 64 10 percent. Within the adult group, the highest percentage of adults those 18 through 35 years old have low incomes and either no insurance or less likelihood of insurance coverage. This is also the same group who are parents to the youngest children being served. The current care manager has had 240 clients enrolled in care management and 90 in the pharmacy assistance program. “The one care manager has had an extremely large caseload,” Burke said. “The clinic hopes to get a second care manager with the new grant,” Burke added, “and we expect it will help us recruit a full-time medical provider.” Any letters of support from the community will help strengthen the grant proposal and provide the clinic with an opportunity to better serve the community. Call Burke at 265-5481, ext. 266, with any questions about the new grant or about support letters.
