ROCKLAND — Knox County Health Clinic will receive $2.1 million in federal aid to establish a Federally Qualified Health Center.
The money will support the renovation of the existing space and the construction of new medical and dental offices.
That was announced Friday, July 1, in a press release by Democratic US Congresswoman Chellie Pingree of North Haven. The $2.1 million is part of more than $31.6 million in House appropriations bills in Maine’s First District for fiscal year 2023.
“After more than a decade, Congress last year finally took back the power to directly fund the needs of our constituents.” Millions of dollars returned to Maine Fiscal year 2022 is is already making a difference in our communities, and I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to build on that success This year,” said Congresswoman Pingree, longtime member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. “These projects will enrich our communities and create a better, more resilient Maine for generations to come.”
Knox County Health Clinic Executive Director Meredith Batley said most areas depend on federally qualified health centers for low-cost care. Knox County is the only county in Maine without an accessible center, Batley said, and the only one in Knox County is in Vinalhaven, an hour’s ferry ride away.
“We are very excited about the potential.” “Although our services are essential, our current capacity is only ‘help’, which does not meet the needs of the region,” Batley said. “Our current population is primarily uninsured, served by a small team of staff and volunteers.” The FKHC center will provide everyone with medical, dental, mental and wellness care. It will need private insurance, Medicare, MaineCare and will have a sliding scale if you have a high deductible or pay out of pocket.”
The clinic’s CEO said the clinic is in promising preliminary discussions with the city of Thomaston to put up a brand new building there, which would allow for a “logarithmic expansion of our staff and services and make it very well positioned to serve the communities on the peninsula as well as the surrounding region.” “
“While we are thrilled with the announcement from Pingree, this is by no means a done deal. “We don’t have an exact timeline because there are many more steps to be done over the next year, including feasibility studies, site evaluation, architectural and engineering analyses, community approval and federal approval of the health center application,” Batley said.
In May, Knox County Commissioners and the Knox County Budget Board voted to provide the clinic with $1.2 million from the U.S. County Rescue Plan.
“We understand that health is not just the absence of disease. Our vision defines overall health as a positive state, an aspirational goal that all individuals can achieve using a fully integrated approach to compassionate, equitable and affordable care,” she said.
Federal funds will not be available until next year.
“We are still completely dependent on the generosity of our local neighbors to provide our current operating budget and essential services.” Their support means everything to us,” she concluded.
Knox County Health Clinic, located at 22 White Street, was founded in June 1999 by Dr. Paul and Ginny Kleiner. With significant community support, the clinic provides primary care to Knox County workers who cannot afford their own health insurance and who do not qualify for Medicaid, Medicare or other programs, according to the Clinic’s website.
In April 2001, a dental program was added to serve uninsured patients and those on Medicaid because there are no dentists in the region who accept Medicaid. In 2003, the clinic began helping patients get free medications through the Prescription Assistance Program. In 2008, the Clinic expanded its services to include mental health and wellness services.
More than 100 volunteers provide approximately 700 dental visits, 750 mental health and wellness visits, 800 medical visits and $1.8 million worth of free medication to the community each year.
“After more than a year of operation, we’ve grown, but we haven’t changed who we are: a community-supported network of over 100 volunteers,” according to the clinic’s website.
“Volunteers have helped diabetes patients regain control of their lives, restored smiles to people who hid them from shame, and provided basic care and vaccines to students who now work as nurses and dentists in our community.” For every success story there is a person who is now able to live a healthy and productive life, the ripple effect this has in our community is immeasurable and extremely valuable,” the Clinic states on its website.
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