The terrible destruction from the 2011 tornados and flooding in
the US Midwest and South magnified the challenges for many Americans already
struggling to access health care. As part
of a targeted response to this crisis, AmeriCares,
through its 2011 U.S.
Disaster Recovery Grants initiative, has awarded four
grants totaling $188,225 to restore and expand crucial health care services in disaster-stricken
Missouri and Mississippi.
“The health services enhancement and restoration grants ensure
that children, seniors, and uninsured/underinsured families affected by
disaster will have access to medical and dental care during the next 12 months,”
said AmeriCares emergency response manager, Garrett Ingoglia.
Restoring
Pediatric Dental Care: Joplin, MO
A devastating May 22 tornado destroyed
13 dental offices in Joplin, creating a critical
gap in services. This need has been
addressed in part by a $48,473 grant to Access
Family Care. The grant enables the clinic to provide rehabilitative dental
services to an estimated 2,000 children, covering the cost of equipment, office
space and one year of operating expenses. AmeriCares also awarded an $8,942
grant to the clinic to install electric power to a donated x-ray machine for
the dental facility.
“I was shocked by the almost complete destruction of Joplin’s
health care infrastructure,” said Ingoglia. “The tornado destroyed the city’s
largest hospital, as well as the majority of dentist and physicians offices clustered
near the hospital. It will take months and even years before they are fully
repaired.”
Expanding Women’s Health Services: Joplin,
MO
The
closure of so many damaged health facilities in Joplin caused a dramatic rise
in demand at the Women’s Health Clinic run by the Economic Security Corporation (ESC). At the same time, the loss of area jobs made
it extremely difficult for patients to afford even the discounted fees the
clinic charges. To meet these challenges, the ESC received a $40,810 AmeriCares
grant to expand women’s health services, by hiring a nursing assistant to see
more patients in the next 12 months, offering vouchers for free medical procedures
to 40 patients, and providing transportation vouchers to 40 patients who lost
access to their own transportation.
Extending Operations for Safety Net
Clinic: St. Joseph, MO
AmeriCares
awarded a $60,000 grant to the Social
Welfare Board in St. Joseph, Missouri to enable the free clinic to continue
operating despite revenue loss as a result of Missouri River flooding. Without the funding, the clinic would have
faced the possibility of closing its doors for several weeks. Now it will be able to continue providing primary
medical and dental care, serving an estimated 1,910 patients.
Clinic Recovery and Continuity of Care: Smithville,
MS
Access Family Health Services in Smithville, MS sustained
severe tornado damage last April, and received an AmeriCares grant of $30,000
that enabled the clinic to continue treating patients in a temporary facility
immediately following the disaster. The clinic is currently conducting a
capitol campaign to raise funds for construction that doubles their clinic space
– expanding their capacity to treat people in need. In the meantime, AmeriCares
awarded a $27,000 grant to fund the temporary facility for nine more months, enabling
the clinic to continue operations and treat an estimated 7,200 patients.
To help communities across America recover from massive
tornadoes, storms, and flood-related devastation, AmeriCares launched
its U.S.
Disaster Recovery Grants initiative, and has awarded more
than $600,000 in grants supporting medical care for the uninsured, mental
health services and preparedness for future disasters.
