By Ann-Elise Henzl

 

A Milwaukee health clinic for the uninsured and underinsured received welcome news Thursday. Federal officials traveled to town to award the clinic $5 million

 

As WUWM’s Ann-Elise Henzl reports, the money comes from a fund President Obama’s health care reform law created.

The announcement took place at the Lisbon Avenue Health Center near 35th and North.

 

“This is one of five grants that are being awarded to community health centers across Wisconsin this week, totaling some $16 million,” says Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary of Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

Koh says the funding is part of a bigger package – some $730 million – the Affordable Care Act earmarks for community health centers.

“We know as a nation, we know we can expand facilities, hire more employees, serve more patients and create jobs,” Koh says.

On hand to celebrate the federal dollars was Milwaukee Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

 

“I just want to say that as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C., that this was one of our bottom lines, in terms of putting together the Affordable Care Act,” Moore says.

 

The Lisbon Avenue clinic plans to use the dollars to double its size. Jenni Sevenich is CEO of Progressive Community Health Centers, the group that runs the facility.

 

“We will be building a 42,000 square foot clinic to replace this clinic, on the same grounds, and the $5 million is about – a little less than -- half of what we need,” Sevenich says.

 

Right now, the clinic serves 8,500 patients a year, but Sevenich envisions the number more than doubling once the center expands. She says it will also provide additional services. Currently, they’re limited to primary, OB/GYN and dental care.

 

“We also will have radiology in that building so people can get their X-rays on site, and mammograms on site as well, and we’ll also have a space for specialists to come in and rotate so that people can get their specialty care services here at the clinic,” Sevenich says.

 

Sevenich says the new facility will include a community education center, where workers help patients make lifestyle changes to improve their health. And the expanded clinic will provide information about where people can find child care, food pantries, and a pack & play for infants, so they don’t share their parents’ beds.

 

Dr. Patricia McManus says it’s hard to underestimate the importance of comprehensive community clinics. McManus is executive director and CEO of the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin.

 

“One of the reasons why centers like this need so much more is because the clients who come in need so much more. They may have mental health issues, they may be struggling with housing issues and jobs, all these kinds of things. That causes stress,” McManus says.

McManus applauds the $16 million in federal grants headed to Wisconsin for community clinics.

 

“We’re excited, but I don’t think anybody is under the illusion that it’s anywhere near beginning to solve the problem,” McManus says.

McManus says the problem is tens of thousands of struggling residents with little or no health insurance, a number likely to grow.

Later this year, Wisconsin intends to change the guidelines for its health insurance program, BadgerCare. Some people will no longer qualify because they may have access to private insurance; others will be charged higher premiums.

 

The Walker administration says Wisconsin has no choice if it hopes to keep BadgerCare viable for the state’s most needy residents.

 

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