Health center

The Nov. 16 article on the HD9 race stated Joe Russell (Flathead County Health Dept Director) and I were "putting in for a grant" for a community health center. I am one of many people helping and my role is minor as a steering committee member advisor focusing on the dental clinic portion. We often see political people get credit for others efforts and the major lifting on this project is being done by the County Health Board, County Staff, and many others.

Flathead County is the only large population in Montana without a primary care community health clinic. Many small communities such as Libby, Browning, Cut Bank and all the larger cities provide health care for the uninsured, underinsured, people living in poverty, disabled, elderly, working poor and others. These clinics provide basic services on a sliding fee scale based on the ability to pay, do not turn people away and for many represent the needed safety net. Typically they have a physician, nurse practitioner, nurses, dentist and supporting staff. Because we do not have this we find our emergency room clogged with people seeking care but worse we have a lot of severe suffering going on. Concerned volunteers try to help at the Salvation Army Touch of Grace and see people but this is limited to two evenings a month and twenty five people an evening.

We have the finest health care in the world but not for everyone. We look at all the signs of prosperity, the beautiful homes, golf courses, and economic activity but do not see the big picture that includes a mixture of pain and poverty with the prosperity. We read of the lepers in the bible but we have a similar situation. We have groups of people living together, many who have made and make poor decisions that no one wants to care for. Some of these people are substance abusers, others mentally ill and many have the communicable diseases such as aids and hepatitis. We have many working two jobs to provide basic necessities and the cost of a Dr's visit is prohibitive. Locally 47 percent of our school children are considered "at risk" and eligible for school lunch subsidy. Forty five percent of our new babies are paid for by Medicaid because the 12,000 dollars for an uncomplicated delivery pushes the young working couple into poverty. Many of these people do not receive prenatal care which leads to increased severe preventable problems. We have women with untreated urinary tract infections leading to kidney damage. We have undiagnosed and untreated diabetes leading to blindness and limb amputations. We have a need.

The County Health Dept has applied three times in the last few years for a federal grant to start a clinic but has been turned down. In late October it was announced that new grant applications would be accepted and your public servants in the Health Dept began working through their noon hours and coming in on their election and Veterans Day holidays to deliver this application which usually takes a year preparation. I am very irritated when I hear people bashing our public sector employees. If we receive this $600,000 efforts will begin to get a clinic going. If we do not receive it we should consider paying for this with local tax money. The need is that great.

I will be taking off for Helena and will be supporting legislation to appropriate money for community Health Centers in Montana. You need to contact and lobby your elected officials to help get this started. Your county commissioners will tell you of the real budget problems they are facing with roads, maintenance, planning , growth etc but you need to request the health center be given their support and placed on a front burner. We need this and need to be willing to pay for it. We have waited too long.

Bill Jones

HD9 representative