By Camas Frank ~
A foundation based on the East Coast has awarded the SLO Noor Foundation a $35,000 grant to support their mission on the Central Coast.
Noor was one of 46 community health centers and free clinics nationwide to receive funding this year as part of the CVS Health Foundation’s $5 million, “commitment to address the need for more accessible, coordinated health care in local communities.”
The money was applied for by Noor to support their response to the growing demand for medical care for uninsured adults in San Luis Obispo County, by expanding clinic services to one extra day per week.
They estimate that will allow 350 to 500 more patient visits per year. The grant will also technology upgrades to secure and maintain medical records
In an email exchange with the SLO City News, Consuelo Meux, Executive Director of SLO Noor Foundation explained some of the misconceptions and challenges facing her organization.
Notably, there’s been a public perception that lack of health insurance is no longer a major issue since legislation mandated Americans procure insurance on pain of tax penalty or were covered under expanded State subsidies.
“The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as ‘Obamacare,’ has worked to increase the need for medical care among those who are falling through the medical help gap,” Meux wrote, “It does not eliminate the need for the free medical clinic. At SLO Noor Foundation, we had a significant increase in patients who were unable to obtain coverage through ACA or any other insurance programs. We also try to assist patients to get coverage if at all possible to be protected in the case of catastrophic health situations. This also helps up to stay with our mission of serving those who are unable to obtain coverage…
Even though more indigent residents are able to access Medi-Cal, thousands of people remain uninsured in SLO County. According to the Community Health Status Report for San Luis Obispo County, (Public Health Department, 2012), it is estimated that there are 24,000 non-elderly adults (ages 18-64) in SLO County who are uninsured. This represents 15.1% of SLO County and is with the addition of the ACA and other insurance opportunities. Over the years, we have served thousands of uninsured in the county. The challenge is getting to more of these residents to let them know of our services. We also encourage our patients to seek insurance coverage if possible.”
Eileen Howard Boone, President of the CVS Health Foundation added that the SLO Noor Foundation was a good candidate for the grant through partnership with the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics.
The Association works with hundreds of clinics similar to Noor, with the goal in mind of reducing long term issues by managing chronic and untreated conditions inside communities.
Meux added that their patient profiles show a large range of people living without recourse to other treatment. They include, “uninsured self-employed professionals, workers who do not have coverage through their employers, those who do not work outside the home, young people not covered by parents, those at poverty levels and the homeless. Some people may have restricted Medi-Cal which only covers emergencies or deductibles so high they cannot afford to pay for medications.”
The SLO Noor Foundation was established in 2009 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
They have primary clinic hours Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 am – 5 pm and Thursday to Saturday: 1 pm – 5 pm. They can be reached at 439-1797.
