There are 61,000 people without health care insurance in northern Clark County, Wash. This staggering statistic inspired the creation of Battle Ground Health Care, a free chronic care clinic that opened in May 2011 as an outreach of the local Meadow Glade Church.
The clinic was presented a grant of $184,561 from Dave Horn, Washington State deputy attorney general, in December 2013. When asked about the future of this outreach as the Affordable Care Act is rolled out, Horn stated, "I don’t think this clinic is going to run out of work any time soon.”
Kristen Turek, senior philanthropic advisor for the Community Foundation in Vancouver, Wash., also presented a check for $5,000 from the Jane Onsdorff Malmquist Charitable Fund. These funds were designated to help provide dental services to the community through the clinic, which relies on donations and grants.
Battle Ground Health Care Clinic recently added limited dental care such as cleaning, extractions and fillings to its services. Staff believe that dental care is a major component in overall health, especially when 72 percent of those living in north Clark County have not seen a dentist in the past year.
Vancouver Clinic donated a large amount of furniture. Adventist Medical Center in Portland, Ore., donated computers and a telephone system, while also providing free technical support to keep these items running. Legacy Health System has offered to supply free laboratory and X-ray services, and Clark College donated a significant amount of dental equipment. Hays Cabinets in Woodland, Wash., supplied the cabinets, and Patterson Dental provided dental supplies.
These gifts are all part of the divine blessings that have helped this volunteer-run organization reach out to its community. “Everything was given to Battle Ground Health Care by God,” says Ruthie Gohl, executive director. “All these people working together are what makes this clinic work and run."
In order to receive services at Battle Ground Health Care, patients must meet certain requirements.They must be between the ages of 18 and 65, live in northern Clark County, and be at 200 percent or less of poverty level. The clinic treats patients with chronic illness such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes with a volunteer staff of about 80.
The recent grants make it possible for Battle Ground Health Care clinic to expand its work with patients in making lifestyle changes. Using occupational and physical therapy, the clinic wants to encourage patients to become more active through education, exercise and diet changes. Anxiety and depression sometimes afflict chronic illness patients; now Battle Ground Health Care clinic can address these issues even more.
For more information about Battle Ground Health Care clinic at their website. Watch the clinic’s story and the grant presentation.
Republished with the permission of Ed Stortro from couv.com.
Battle Ground Health Care's supporters include (from left) Anne Lamberton, clinic dietitian; Lynn Crowford, clinic educator and pain clinic project coordinator; Ruthie Gohl, executive director; David Horn, Washington State deputy attorney general; Jens Metzger, clinic medical director and Vancouver Clinic physician; and Jim Bowline, pastor and clinic board chair.
A $5,000 grant is presented to Bill Pritchard, orthodontist and BGHC dental clinic advisor, by Kristen Turek, Community Foundation senior philanthropic advisor.
